


Chosen's Chosen

by AudacityOfHuge



Series: Legend of Korra continuation [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Book 5, Canon Compliant, Canon Continuation, Complete, F/F, Post-Finale, super long, worth the read
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-23
Updated: 2018-04-09
Packaged: 2018-05-22 20:25:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 109,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6093031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AudacityOfHuge/pseuds/AudacityOfHuge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a dreamy vacation in the spirit world, Korra and Asami return to a Republic City that has just begun its long road to reconstruction. Korra must face her destiny as the Avatar in a time of peace, Asami must make sense of her role as the Avatar's partner, and together they must learn what it means to love one another in a world struggling to maintain balance.  **COMPLETE**</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Avatar Korra and Awesami

**Author's Note:**

> ****SPECIAL AO3.ORG NOTES: This is the exact same story posted under my ff.net account under the same username, AudacityofHuge. I've had multiple people say that I should post the fic here, too, and since I'm currently in the process of posting my sequel to this story on ff.net, I figured I might as well post this fic on ao3 after all this time. It's been completed for over a year, so if you want to read it before I finish getting it up on this website, feel free to go on over to ff.net and read it in its entirety there. I literally haven't changed anything at all from how it's posted on ff.net, author's notes included.
> 
> We now return to our regularly scheduled fanfic:****
> 
> Hello all! It's been a while since I've posted anything, but I've got so much of this story already written it doesn't seem right to deny the Korrasami fandom of so much fic. There are just a few things I'd like to say before we begin.
> 
> The first thing is that as I said, I have a lot of this fic written already, but it is still a work in progress. I'm going to do my best to finish it as soon as I can. It's hard to tell from a Word document, but I think this fic is pretty freaking long, so settle in. I'll be posting the next couple of chapters pretty soon.
> 
> Second, this first chapter is pretty different from the rest of what I have written, so if you read this chapter and hate it, keep going. Maybe the rest of it will grab you. The plot doesn't happen right away.
> 
> Third, I'm trying to write this story in the tradition of the show. I wanted it to sound like a natural continuation of the story, without anyone doing anything that seems totally out of character for them. I want it to have the same atmosphere and themes that run through the show. I did this because I loved Legend of Korra, and I loved all the characters, stories, and settings of the show. I hope I've managed to accomplish this.
> 
> And finally, I wanted to give a shoutout to /r/korrasami over on Reddit. I don't have a Deviantart account and I don't use Tumblr, so without you guys, I wouldn't have had 25 tabs of korrasami fanart open on my browser to look at for inspiration while I write. You guys rock, upvotes all around.
> 
> Without further ado, here's chapter one.

The spirit world vacation idea had been a stroke of pure genius, thought Korra with smug satisfaction. Over the last six days, she and Asami had wandered this colorful and bizarre world together having adventures and feeling free. They had spent every minute of every day with each other. Korra had never felt closer to anyone else in her entire life. She had comforted Asami when she cried for her father, shared her own experiences from their three year separation, and, best of all, the two of them had laughed more than she had laughed for the previous three years combined.

Although she was certain that Asami's feelings for her were probably beyond platonic, she had yet to make any move that might scare Asami off. Yes, it was clear that they liked each other that way, but Korra couldn't help worrying about what would happen if she were to pursue a romantic physical gesture. The most she had been able to work herself up to was taking Asami's hand for the crossing, but after that they had maintained a distance, albeit a small distance.

She told herself that she was holding back out of respect for Asami's grief, but the truth was that she was absolutely terrified. Asami may be harboring a crush, but Korra was long past that point. Her feelings had gone from friendship, to crush, to deep, scary love. Intense, all-consuming, heart-pounding, unconditional love. Everything Asami did or said charmed her. It was so different from anything she had ever felt before. Mako had been her first boyfriend, and while there had been things she liked, even loved, about him, she had found him difficult to talk to sometimes and had required time alone occasionally to recharge.

With Asami, it wasn't like that at all. They conversed easily and openly, sharing things they had never shared with anyone else. Asami had opened up to her about her rocky relationship with her father, her somewhat lonely childhood, and her years studying at the university in Ba Sing Se. In return, Korra had confessed her fears about her shortcomings and the responsibilities that came with being the Avatar. And both knew that they could talk without fear or judgment. The past six days had lifted heavy weights off Korra's shoulders that she hadn't even realized she'd been carrying around.

If she'd been in love with Asami before they stepped through that portal, she was totally gone over the moon about her now. She knew it was silly, but when their vacation ended in one day and they had to go back to their own world, Korra wasn't sure how she was going to be able to function as a normal human being without Asami at her side.

Afternoon on the sixth day found them walking through a flower-paved meadow, looking for a nice spot to enjoy their lunch. Asami was talking about her plans to build a new model of her hummingbird invention and Korra was listening with avid interest. She didn't have a clue how such a contraption might work, but she loved hearing Asami talk about her work. She admired how intelligent her friend was.

Up ahead she noticed movement in the grass and put out her arm to stop Asami's walk. "Hold on," she said. "I see something up ahead."

"Where?"

Korra pointed to the area where she could clearly see something big, black and four-legged standing in the shadows of some trees. "There, see it? It looks like some kind of bear dog."

"Now I see it. Do you think it's dangerous?"

"I'm not sure…" But no sooner had she said it did she see a puff of dirt from where the spirit was kicking at the ground in an obvious pre-charge ritual. "Look out!"

The spirit charged and the two women turned and bolted. "Let's head for the forest," said Asami, panting with the exertion of running flat-out.

They broke through the tree line and heard the crashing of the charging spirit just behind them. "He's still after us," shouted Korra, but suddenly, Asami disappeared. "Asami!"

Korra skidded to a halt, swinging around just in time to see Asami use a tree branch to launch herself in the air. Her long, elegant body twisted in to a graceful backflip, and then she landed with a grunt on to the spirit's back. "Woah there!" she called to it, leaning forward to keep her center of gravity stable. The great beast bucked and roared beneath her and for a few tense seconds, Korra worried she might be thrown off its back. She stood at the ready to catch Asami with airbending if necessary. But faster than she possibly expected, the spirit calmed and Asami slid casually off its back, scratching it behind its ears. "Good spirit," she said softly. "Just take it easy. You're actually kind of cute, aren't you?" She glanced over her shoulder at Korra. "Close your mouth, Korra, you're catching flies."

Korra did snap her mouth shut, but she couldn't stop staring at Asami. "Asami, that was so…" she searched her mind for the right word, "awesome! You are so unbelievably awesome!"

Laughing modestly, Asami shrugged and stepped back as the spirit turned and meandered off back the way it had come. She turned to face Korra, her face turning the lightest shade of pink at the goofy, adoring luck on her face. "Thanks," she said.

"I mean it," said Korra enthusiastically. She stepped forward to take Asami's hands, just as she had when they had crossed through the spirit portal. Suddenly she couldn't stop herself from saying all the things she wanted to say, her fears dissolved in the face of Asami's bravery against the spirit. "And I'm not just talking about that raging bear dog spirit. You're always awesome. You kick butt even without bending, you invent crazy awesome machine things, you're the best driver in both worlds, you're generous and resourceful, and you make it all look easy."

Stunned, Asami looked down at their joined hands. It was the first time Korra had ever seen her blush. "I don't know what to say, Korra. I'm flattered."

"Look, Asami, I know you're going through a rough time because of your father and everything, but I want you to know that I think you're the greatest person I've ever met, and I'm crazy about you. I understand if you don't…"

She was cut off when Asami draped her arms around her shoulders and ducked down for a kiss. It was short and sweet, and it left Korra feeling lightheaded. Before Asami could pull away, Korra wrapped her arms around her slim waist and urged her in to a second, much longer kiss. Asami's body against hers was warm and soft, so different from any other kiss she'd ever felt. When they finally broke apart, they stood with their foreheads leaning against each other. "You're even an amazing kisser," said Korra with a smile, her stomach doing a happy flip when she received one in return.

"I've wanted to do that for a long time," admitted Asami. "Since before you left for the south pole." She brought a hand up to Korra's face, holding her close as she brought their lips together again. "Korra, what happened with my father doesn't change how I feel about you. I loved you then and I love you even more now."

"You love me?"

"Oh yes. It's kind of disturbing how much, actually," she chuckled, and Korra tightened her grip.

"Trust me, I know exactly what you mean. I'm so in love with you, Asami. This past week with you has been like a dream. I've honestly never been happier."

"Good," said Asami. "I'm so glad to hear that. After everything you've been through, you deserve to be happy. And for the record, I think you're awesome too. You're the most selfless, brave, and strong person I've ever known. You make me feel safe, no matter where we are."

"If there's one thing you can count on, it's that I'll always keep you safe. Even though you clearly don't need my protection."

"Maybe not all the time," said Asami, and she grinned at Korra as she closed the tiny gap between them in another kiss.

After that, their last day in the spirit passed in a happy haze. In later years Korra would look back and remember Asami flipping over that tree branch, and the memory would invoke the same feeling of awe and adoration she had felt at that moment. On that last day she went swimming with Asami in a warm, blue lake. The two got in to a splash battle, and Korra teased her with waterbending. Asami's irritated cry of: "Hey, no fair! No bending, you cheater," was undermined by her laughter.

"But Asami, I'm the Avatar. I am the bending."

"Not to me, you're not," Asami said warmly, again draping her arms over Korra's shoulder in an embrace that was quickly becoming the most important thing in her life. "To me, you're just Korra, the best friend I've ever had."

Korra allowed one kiss before tossing Asami away and bending a huge wave over her. "Got you!" she laughed, diving under to avoid the smaller return splash from Asami.

It was a testament to how awesome Asami was that she felt a hand clamp around her ankle, and then she was pulled to the surface by a surprising strength, and the two of them continued to splash and laugh until the sun began to set and the spirits around them began to glow with their nightly light shows.

That night the two young women laid a little closer to each other in their bedrolls, talking until the moon rose high above them, and in a moment of quiet courage, Korra said, "Do you… Do you want to sleep with me?"

Asami gave her a searching look, and Korra quickly added, "Just sleep. You can say no. I just… I want to know what it would feel like to fall asleep with you, and to wake up with you in the morning." She knew she was blushing, but she didn't let her nervousness deter her. After a moment, her efforts were rewarded when Asami crawled out of her bedroll. Korra lifted the corner of her own blanket and shifted over to give her more room. Even so, it was a tight fit and after a bit of shuffling around, Korra found herself laying on her back with Asami's head resting on her shoulder. She sighed happily when Asami put her arm around her midriff and settled in comfortably.

"This feels really nice," whispered Asami, and Korra felt her breath tickle her neck.

"Yes it does." She inhaled deeply, a goofy smile stretching over her lips. "You smell really good."

"So do you."

Korra couldn't help herself. She pulled Asami closer with both arms, putting one hand on the back of her head to hold her as close as possible. "Your hair is tickling me though. You have a lot of hair."

"I'll shave it off tomorrow if it means we can lay here like this," said Asami.

"No!" said Korra a bit too assertively. "Don't do that. I love your hair."

Asami propped herself up on one elbow to look down at Korra and smile. "You do?"

Nodding enthusiastically, she reached up to touch the soft strands in question, pushing a lock behind Asami's ear. "Yes, I do. It's beautiful. You're beautiful. I've always thought so."

She knew she was treading a thin line, knew it would be difficult to stop herself because they were so close, but Asami couldn't resist leaning down to kiss her, her dark hair forming a curtain around them. Korra was an irresistible combination of hard and soft. When she placed her hand on Korra's arm she could feel the muscles there just under the surface, but when she slid her hand down to Korra's hip, she felt soft, feminine curves. She was surprised by just how much she wanted Korra. She'd never looked at women that way before, but now it seemed impossible to imagine any other lover than this woman under her.

She forced herself to pull away before they did anything they might regret later. When she met Korra's deep blue eyes, she almost reconsidered her decision. "I love you, Asami," Korra whispered.

"I love you, too." She placed a soft kiss on Korra's forehead. "But we should stop. This is still really new for us, and I don't want to do anything that might scare you away."

"Funny, I've been thinking the same thing about you this entire vacation." Gently, Korra urged Asami back down to their previous position, tucking her head against her shoulder. "But I know you're right. There's no rush."

No rush, except that tomorrow they'd be heading back to their own world, where they would have to face their friends and the rest of the world and go back to their separate homes. But Asami didn't say any of that because she knew it was irrational. The two of them would always find time for one another. They had been doing so for years.

"Can I ask you a really personal question?" said Korra after a bit.

"After everything we've talked about this week, I think you can ask me one more really personal question."

"Did you and Mako ever… you know?"

Asami pulled back a little so she could look at Korra's face. "Yes," she admitted. "Only a few times, and it was before I really got to know you very well."

"It's ok," said Korra quickly. "I don't mind. I knew you two were pretty serious for a while there."

"Yeah, I guess we were. I liked him. He was very kind and understanding." She smirked at Korra. "But once you started giving him the time of day, I didn't stand a chance."

"I can't imagine why not. We had fun together but you're way more awesome than I am. Plus, you're loaded!"

"Maybe so, but you're the Avatar, Korra. A person would have to be crazy to pick me over you."

"We're just going to have to agree to disagree on this one, I think. There's no way you'll ever be able to convince me that I'm more awesome than you. In fact I ought to start calling you Awesami!"

Cringing, Asami quipped, "You can start calling me that, but you would also be single."

"Ouch," laughed Korra, and stretched up for a quick kiss. "Fine, I won't call you that… In public."

Asami pretended to be mad, but in reality she loved Korra's mischievous side. It was part of what made them such good friends. Korra could always make her laugh. Once Korra had resettled beneath her, she brought the conversation back to the previous topic. "So what about you? Did you ever sleep with Mako?"

"No," said Korra, and Asami was a little ashamed at the feeling of relief that shot through her. "After we officially got together and started spending a lot of one-on-one time together, I just couldn't get myself to go through with it, and it wasn't for a lack of interest on his part." She stared up at the stars and rubbed Asami's back as she spoke, thinking back on that confusing time in her life. "I told myself that it was because I was too busy with training or fighting some battle or another, but the truth was that I just didn't feel that way about him. I love having him as a friend, but when we were together for long periods of time, I found him a little… overbearing."

"I know exactly what you mean. He never believed me when I said I could take care of myself, not even after he saw it with his own two eyes."

Korra laughed the same laugh she had way back on the day when Asami had attempted to teach her to drive. "He's a nice guy, but he really can be an oaf," she chuckled. "After we broke it off, I was more relieved than anything else. So no, I never did sleep with him."

"But didn't you say that he was your first boyfriend?" Korra nodded at that, and watched as Asami came to the obvious conclusion. "So you've never…"

"Nope. You're looking at a 21-year-old virgin. Still think I'm awesome?" The joking tone was undermined by the way Korra dropped her gaze, and Asami reached out to cup her chin to bring it back up, maintaining steady eye contact.

"Yes, Korra, I still think you're awesome. I don't care about that. I love you, and nothing will change that. If anything, I'm proud of you for staying true to yourself. You didn't feel that way about Mako, and you stuck to your guns about it."

Reaching out to push that strand of hair behind Asami's ear again, Korra blushed as she admitted, "Well, in case I haven't made it clear, that's not how it is with you. I feel that way about you, Asami."

"The feeling is mutual. But like you said, there's no rush, okay? We can go at whatever pace you're comfortable with. It's new for me too, you know. It's not like I've ever been with a woman before."

"Yeah," said Korra. "Is it weird for you?"

"Honestly? No, it isn't. I thought it would be, but it's not." Asami settled her head back on Korra's shoulder, breathing in her scent and soaking in her warmth. "You're a girl, but you're also Korra. Maybe it would be different if I didn't love you so much. Or maybe it's because I've had such a long time to get used to the idea."

"What?" Korra resumed her gentle rubbing of Asami's back. "What long time?"

Sighing, Asami decided it would be silly to hold on to this particular secret. "Korra, I've felt this way about you for years. I realized it right after you broke it off with Mako for good."

"Why didn't you say anything?" She felt Asami shrug her shoulders.

"Same reason we didn't say anything this whole trip. I was scared. At first I was scared of what I was feeling and what it could mean, then I was scared that you didn't feel the same way. Then I was scared that I would lose you if I told you."

Korra couldn't help but laugh at how similar their thoughts had been over the last four years. "You know, for the Avatar and a super badass engineer inventor chick, we really are big old cowards."

"You're right about that," agreed Asami with a chuckle.

Silence settled between them like a comfortable blanket, and just a few minutes later, Korra got to find out what it felt like to fall asleep with Asami in her arms.

And in the morning, she awoke to warm lips on her forehead, and a soft voice saying her name. "Wake up, Korra."

"You're still here," said Korra with an adorable smile.

"Darn right I am."

"Yay." Korra used her strong arms to wrap Asami in full-body hug, and Asami's toes curled in the pleasure of the moment. "Did you sleep OK?"

"I think anyone would sleep great with their own Avatar pillow." She kissed Korra good morning, pulling away only after several long minutes. "We have to go, though," she said with disappointment. "If we wait too much longer, people will start to worry."

They had left very little information for everyone back home, only a note that said they were going to the spirit world for a week and would be back before midday on the seventh day. They hadn't wanted anyone to worry about them, so they had always intended to return on schedule. Korra was grateful that none of their friends had tried to come after them. She guessed that they understood their need for a vacation, and also had their own lives to sort through post-Kuvira.

After they had disassembled their campsite, they walked back to the new portal which would lead them right back to the center of Republic City. This time Korra didn't hesitate to take Asami's hand as they walked. "What will happen when we get back?" she asked, bumping her shoulder against Asami's.

"Well, I guess I'll start drawing up new plans for the restoration and get to work on that, and you can help the Earth Kingdom get their new government up and running."

"I meant with us," said Korra, pulling her to a stop. "Will we be together there, too?"

"Of course," answered Asami, putting her free hand on Korra's cheek. "How can you even ask me that after everything we talked about?"

Immediately, Korra realized her mistake and said, "You're right, I'm sorry. I don't know what got in to me. I really meant to ask what we'll do about us. Where do we go from here? Should we tell everyone?"

"We can if you want to," said Asami. "I think I'd like for them to know, just because it will be hard to hide how much I love you. And I don't know if I really have the energy to try after everything I've been through."

"Then it's settled. We'll tell them." Korra's smile was easy and sure, and Asami couldn't help but respond in kind. "I think they'll be supportive, don't you?"

"Yeah, I think so. And if they're not, you can go in to the Avatar state and kick their butts. You'd do that for me, right?"

"That and more." Korra lightly tugged her closer, and their arms wrapped around each other in a long, leisurely kiss. When they pulled away, Korra rubbed her nose against Asami's and said, "Thank you for this week, Asami."

"I think I'm the one who should be thanking you. It was your idea, after all."

"It was both our ideas." She reached up to run her hand through Asami's hair. "Being here with you has been so special. And the best part is that it's only the beginning."

Asami's heart fluttered at the words. It filled her with warmth to hear Korra talk about their future. She didn't want to assume anything about what Korra was feeling, but she was certain that she would never love anyone else the way she loved Korra. "Whatever happens when we step through this portal, I want you to know that I think you're awesome," she said, grinning at the laugh it provoked.

"I think you're awesome too, Awesami."

After one last lingering kiss, they walked together through the portal back to their own world.


	2. Republic City Again

Immediately, they were struck with the hustle and bustle of reconstruction activities. Giant mechasuits previously belonging to Kuvira's army were re-purposed for the efforts and were moving rubble away from the crater. There were already steel frames being bent in to place by metalbenders—apparently they had begun construction on the bypass roadway that was planned around the new portal. As they stepped away from the portal, the mechasuits stopped their activities and turned to face them. They heard someone shout, "The Avatar is back!"

Then, from behind them, a more familiar voice shouted, "Korra! Asami!" They turned just in time to see Bolin launch himself at them and wrap them both in a bear hug. "You're back! How was your vacation? What did you see? What did you do? Tell me everything! And I have so much to tell you! How are you?"

They watched with amusement as he doubled over, putting his hands on his knees to catch his breath. As he did, Opal alighted gracefully beside him. "You done now, honey?" she asked.

"Yes," he panted.

"Welcome back," said Opal to the two women.

"Thanks," said Korra.

"Did you have a nice time?"

"The best," said Asami with a dazzling smile. "This construction looks great. And it's moving along so quickly!"

Bolin turned to look at the activity as the mechasuits began their work again. "Everyone's really been coming together to help. All the metalbenders from Kuvira's army even joined in. Of course it's part of their parole but…"

Just then, Mako joined them. He had been working nearby using firebending to weld some beams together. "Welcome back," he said cordially, and each woman gave him a friendly hug. "How was your trip?"

"It was great, thanks. How have things been here?" asked Korra as the group of them began walking in the direction of the docks.

"It's been good. Everyone's really been pitching in. There's still a lot of work to do but we're definitely making excellent progress. Whenever you're ready to get involved, Chief Beifong has some really good ideas for where you can help, Korra."

"Great," said Korra sincerely. "I can't wait to get started."

They chatted amiably as they walked, mostly with Asami and Korra listening as Bolin, Opal and Mako filled them in on everything they had missed. When they reached the docks, they found a boat captain who would take Korra over to Air Temple Island. "So I guess this is my stop," said Korra, looking at Asami. "It'll be nice to be home." After a moment's hesitation, she stepped forward and gave Asami a warm hug. "I'll see you later," she said quietly in to her ear.

"Bye," said Asami as she returned the hug. When they parted, she noticed Mako giving them a strange look, although Bolin and Opal hadn't seemed to notice anything.

Korra climbed on to the boat and waved goodbye. Once she was on her way, Bolin and Opal left to return to the reconstruction, leaving Mako and Asami standing on the dock. "I'll walk you back to your factory," he said, and the two turned to head to Asami's factory where she would pick up a satomobile to take her the rest of the way. "So I never really got a chance to talk to you before you left. I wanted to tell you I'm really sorry about what happened to your father."

"Thank you," said Asami. "It's hard to believe he's really gone, but I think I'm starting to adjust."

"Well you look great. Relaxed. And it looks like you got some sun in the spirit world."

"We did. It's very beautiful there."

As they waited for a mechasuit to stride by before crossing a street, Mako said: "I'll take your word for it. When Bolin and I were there all we saw was a huge battle between good and evil."

"Trust me, it's not all like that. We saw some of the most amazing things I've ever seen. And we met some really interesting people and spirits. Korra is really in her element there. She always knew where to go and what to do. It's amazing to see." She smiled, remembering Korra talking with a mischievous spirit that had tried to give them wrong directions. Korra had caught on right away, though, and had scolded him angrily. By the end of the interaction, the two of them were laughing as if they were old friends. Which, in a way, they were. "It's easy to forget that as the Avatar, Korra is actually part spirit herself."

For the first time in a few minutes, she looked up at Mako. The look on his face made her suddenly realize that she'd given herself away. She gave a wry chuckle. "I told her I wouldn't be able to hide it, and it looks like I was right. Are you totally freaked out?"

"No," he assured her. "Kind of surprised, but not freaked out. I didn't know that you were… you know, in to girls."

"It's not really a girl thing, it's a Korra thing. I was surprised by it too."

"But you're happy?" asked Mako as they neared the factory.

"Yes, Mako. I'm happy. We're both happy."

He smiled at her. "Then that's all I care about. I've put all the stuff that happened between the three of us behind me. Now all I want is to see you happy, and if being together makes you two happy, then I'm glad."

They stopped near a satomobile parked near the entrance and embraced. "Thank you Mako. That means a lot to me."

She dropped Mako off at the police station and headed home. Before leaving she had told her servants to take a vacation as well, and she had given them two weeks paid time off. So when she opened the door, she was suddenly struck with how big and empty her mansion was. Her footsteps echoed as she headed for her room. Once there, she deposited her bag on the floor and flopped down on the bed.

Now that she was alone, she finally acknowledged the ache in her chest. She missed Korra so much it was like a physical pain. She buried her head in her pillow and groaned at herself. "Asami, you're being ridiculous," she grumbled. But it didn't make the ache any better. After some time, she decided the only thing she could do to distract herself was work, so she got up to get started on that.

The next morning, Asami took a driving tour around the city with Varrick to get an idea of what sorts of projects Future Industries would be able to take part in. They were planning a few buildings, a new train station, and a long series of roadways that would take people through the city without disturbing the spirit vines or encountering the new portal. At midday, Tenzin approached her at the site of a new bridge which was already nearing completion. "Miss Sato," he said cordially.

"Hello Tenzin. It's good to see you again."

"And you as well."

"What can I do for you?"

He reached in to the depths of his robes and produced a folded sheet of paper. "Actually I'm just here because Korra asked me to give you this."

Asami reached out and took it, trying not to look too excited. "Thank you. And I also wanted to thank you for everything you and the airbenders have been doing for the city. I doubt things would be going so smoothly without you."

"I appreciate that. And on a more personal note, Miss Sato, I wanted to re-extend my invitation to Air Temple Island. You are always welcome there."

It wasn't hard for Asami to guess that Korra had probably told him about what was going on. "Thanks, Tenzin."

He reached out and clasped her shoulder briefly before turning and swooping away in typical Tenzin fashion. Asami barely waited for him to be gone before opening the note. It said: "Asami, meet me for lunch? I'll be down near the portal all day. I miss you. Korra."

Asami didn't manage to pull herself away from her work for two more hours, but at the earliest available opportunity she hopped in her satomobile and sped down towards the beam of light that was visible from everywhere in the city. The crater was crawling with activity, just as it had been the previous morning, but she immediately spotted Korra because most people were also looking in that direction.

The Avatar was hard at work lifting a massive stone pillar in to place. Based on its positioning, Asami deduced that it was probably one of the load-bearing columns for the ornate stone pavilion that had been designed to house the new spirit portal. Korra was bending it in to place with typical grace and ease, and on the opposite side, three benders were required to perform the exact same task. It was clear that the workers were pleased to have the Avatar there. Once she had settled the column in to place, the bystanders cheered and clapped her on the shoulder. Asami took this opportunity to make her presence known and approached the group while clapping her hands. "Nice work, Avatar," she said.

The smile that lit up Korra's tanned face when she saw Asami made her heart flutter in her chest. Korra dipped in to a low bow. "Thank you, Miss Sato. Although if I had known you were standing there, I would have shown off a bit more."

"You don't have to show off for me, Korra. I already know how awesome you are." She winked at Korra, who continued to grin at her. The workers around them looked back and forth between the two of them, then an unspoken order seemed to move through the group and they began to disperse, whispering about what might be going on between Avatar Korra and the illustrious Asami Sato.

"Oops," said Korra as they noticed the workers walking away. "I think we slipped up."

"I think so too. Just wait till you hear what happened with Mako yesterday." She gestured to her vehicle. "Shall we?"

Ten minutes later, they were sitting at the top of one of the only remaining high-rises in Republic City enjoying sandwiches courtesy of the Republic City Police Department. With everyone involved with the cleanup efforts, the RCPD had taken on a larger, more organizational role. Korra had been working alongside Lin at the portal all morning, and Lin had offered her the same lunch she was giving to the members of Kuvira's army who were within their custody. Much to their surprise, it was actually quite good. Then, while they were driving around looking for somewhere to eat, Korra had spotted this building and brought them to the top by creating an elevator with earthbending. Their position afforded them a stunning view of the entire city, and off in the distance, the monument of Avatar Aang.

"Tell me about what happened with Mako," prompted Korra, her mouth full of sandwich.

Asami smiled at her bad manners and relayed the conversation she had had with Mako the day before. When she had finished, she said, "I know we agreed that we wouldn't try to keep it a secret, but I guess I wasn't expecting everyone to find out so soon. We hadn't even been back for one hour before he figured it out."

"Well, Mako may not be the most sensitive guy, but he does have very good powers of observation. He is a detective after all." Korra finished her lunch and scooted closer to Asami, draping her arm around her slender shoulders. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for it though. I had hoped to be able to tell everyone together."

"It's okay," said Asami, snuggling closer to Korra. "It's kind of my fault anyway. I should have kept my mouth shut instead of gushing on and on about how great you are."

"Now how could I be mad about that?" She gently reached out to tilt Asami's face up and said, "I missed you so much last night. I barely slept at all. I kept thinking about how much nicer it was to sleep with you right by my side."

"Me too," admitted Asami. "I almost got up and went to Air Temple Island. The only thing that stopped me was that I was worried maybe you needed a little space after spending so much time together."

"No, Asami, it's safe to say I don't need any space," said Korra with a chuckle. Then, as if to prove her point, she brought their lips together in a sweet, somewhat tentative kiss. After just a few seconds, she pulled back just a tiny bit, speaking with her lips brushing against Asami's. "You could come stay with me," she suggested softly. "If you want to, I mean. I talked to Tenzin, he said there's plenty of space even with all the airbenders there. It's not the most private place, but I'm sure we could find you an empty room…"

She was cut off when Asami placed one long finger against her lips. "I'd love to," she said simply, and was rewarded when Korra kissed her again. "But I'm not staying in any room unless you're in it, too." She could feel the Avatar's smile against her lips as they deepened the kiss, and for a long moment she forgot everything else except Korra, her arms and her lips and the promise of a night together.

Then everything else came back to her when an air bison-shaped shadow was cast over the two of them and a loud voice exclaimed: "I KNEW IT!"

They broke apart and looked up to see Bolin and Opal hovering in front of them on Opal's air bison. Korra heaved a great sigh and Asami couldn't help but laugh. "Did you know it?" she asked Bolin, who was standing on the air bison and pointing at them with his mouth wide open. "Because you look pretty shocked to me."

"Okay, maybe I didn't know it, but I still knew it!" He jumped from the bison to the rooftop and Opal followed behind him, looking embarrassed but amused at his actions.

"How can you not know it but still know it?" asked Korra, getting to her feet and taking Asami's hand to pull her up as well. She was clearly annoyed at the interruption.

Opal put her hand on Bolin's arm. "Actually, he kind of did know it. Yesterday after we dropped you off at the dock, Korra, he said he thought you seemed different."

Korra raised one eyebrow. "Different?"

His initial shock seemed to dissolve at that moment, and Bolin wrapped his huge arms around Korra, lifting her straight up in the air. "Happier!" he laughed. "Now I get it! You're happy!" He set her back down and held her out at arm's length to inspect her face. "Right? Happy? Am I right?"

"You're right," said Korra, thinking that Bolin's huge smile was always so infectious. Everyone on the rooftop was smiling now.

"That's so great!" He rounded on Asami, giving her the same bear hug treatment. "And you too! Are you happy too?"

"Yes, Bolin, now please put me down," laughed Asami.

Bolin placed her back on the rooftop and stepped back to look at them both. "Man, the two of you together, huh? No wonder things didn't work out with Mako." Suddenly he gasped and clapped his hands over his mouth. "Mako! What do you think Mako will say?"

"He said he's fine with it," said Asami. "I talked to him yesterday."

"Aw man, he knew before me?"

"Not by choice. He just figured it out sooner, that's all."

This explanation didn't seem to appease his disappointment. "I should have thought of it too. I did think it was strange when you two left without even saying goodbye, but I just thought you needed a vacation."

"We did," said Korra. "Sorry about that, by the way."

Waving away her apology, he said, "Not necessary. But maybe next time we can all go together."

"That sounds like fun," said Asami.

"Count me in," agreed Opal.

"Yeah!" said Bolin, warming up to his idea. "It could be me and Opal, Korra and Asami, and Mako and… Uh… Well, maybe just Mako."

"Ouch," said Korra. "Let's table this idea for now. Besides, I think Beifong has enough projects lined up to keep me busy for a long time, and I still have to help the Earth Kingdom with their new government. And I know Asami has her work cut out for her too."

"It's true. A vacation might not be possible for quite a while," said Asami, thinking about all the things she had seen with Varrick that morning.

Another air bison flew overhead, and Opal glanced up at it. "Speaking of work, I think Bolin and I had better get back to it. We were on our way back from lunch. Would you like a ride back to the portal?"

"Actually I'm headed the opposite way, but Korra is headed there." Asami glanced down to the street where her satomobile was parked. "I could use a lift to the ground though, as odd as that sounds."

Korra was disappointed that she wouldn't get to spend those few extra minutes with Asami, but she accepted Opal's offer gracefully and tried not to let on. She glanced at her girlfriend, who caught her eye and shrugged; clearly, she wasn't the only one who felt that way. She guessed that it would take some time for everyone else to get used to them as a couple rather than just friends. If Bolin had caught his brother on the rooftop with a girl, she highly doubted that he would have offered to give them a ride. Most likely he would have been eager to make himself scarce.

On the ground, Korra hopped off the air bison to exchange a hug and a few private words with Asami. "So you'll come to Air Temple Island tonight?" she asked hopefully.

"I'll have to run home first and pick up a few things, but I should be there before dinner."

"I'll be keeping an eye out for you. Don't be late."

Asami squeezed her hand before climbing in to the driver's seat. "I wouldn't dream of it." She waved at Bolin and Opal, still seated on the air bison and trying not to eavesdrop. "Bye."

There was a chorus of "See you," and then she pulled away from the curb with one last glance at Korra, who watched her until she turned a corner and disappeared from sight. Then she turned and hopped back up on the air bison. "Let's go," she said.

"Yip yip," said Opal, and the air bison took off.


	3. On Air Temple Island

The crew that was working for Asami was surprised when she actually left on time. They had all worked with her on many previous projects and were used to seeing her on site until long after the second shift came in. She always personally oversaw the construction sites to be absolutely sure it was being done correctly.

So when she told her foreman Lee Shun that she was calling it quits for the day, he gave her a concerned look. "Everything alright?" he asked. Lee had been Future Industry's construction foreman for as long as the company had existed. An accomplished earthbender, he had not been privy to Hiroshi's shady dealings with the Equalists, and had thus avoided arrest. Asami had never considered not keeping him on when the company's ownership had passed to her. She valued his practical input in bending-related matters that she could not possibly understand. He also shared Asami's inventive approach to business, and had an acute eye for detail and beauty. Lee had never produced an ugly building before.

"Everything's fine," she told him. "I just have plans this evening and I don't want to be late." She'd made a promise to Korra. "Besides, you guys are doing a great job here. I think you can carry on without me."

"Alright, boss. It's good to see you getting in some time for yourself, with the vacation and now this."

"Thank you. I guess I do tend to bury myself in my work." This had been especially true during Korra's three year absence, but she didn't bring that up to Lee. "Anyway, if you need me you can send for me. I'll be on Air Temple Island."

At her mansion she changed in to more comfortable clothes and packed a bag, musing that it was the second time she had done so in as many weeks. Her clothes from the vacation were still dirty; she hadn't been able to find the time to wash them, and her servants were still away. It didn't bother her though. The only thing she cared about was getting across the bay to the island where Korra was waiting for her.

The sun was just beginning to set as she piloted her small speedboat across the bay. From a distance the island looked like it was swarming with bugs because of all the airbenders and air bisons flying around. As she drew closer she could make out which black specs were which, and as she approached the dock she could see three figures waiting for her. She could tell right away that one was Korra; she'd recognize her confident stance anywhere.

The other two turned out to be Pema and Jinora. They helped her dock her boat in a safe place, then Korra took her hand to help her off the boat. "Welcome," said Pema sweetly. "It's good to see you again, Asami."

"Thanks Pema, you too. Hello, Jinora," she greeted.

"Hi!" Jinora answered brightly.

Together the four of them headed towards the house, and Korra continued to hold her hand as they walked, causing Asami to beam at her.

"I had Ikki prepare your room," said Pema. "It's the same one you stayed in before."

She was referring to the two-week period of time three years ago when Asami had stayed at Air Temple Island to help with Korra's recuperation. At that time she had slept in a room next to Korra's. She'd been grateful for the proximity because the two rooms shared a back door with the same porch, and due to the heat Korra usually left her door open. Asami would leave hers open at night to listen for any noises from next door. Every time Korra had had a nightmare, she would go to her quietly and sit with her. To this day she wasn't certain if Korra knew she had done that. It had happened only a few times, but each time had broken her heart. She had ached for her friend's pain and wished so much that she could do more to help.

Korra's voice shook her out of her memories. "Actually, Pema, we were kind of thinking she would just stay with me."

"That's fine too. I can use the room for one of the airbenders instead," said Pema sweetly.

"No fair!" interjected Jinora. "How come Korra's girlfriend gets to stay with her but Kai always has to sleep in the airbender barracks?"

"Because Korra isn't fourteen years old, Jinora." Pema's tone was long-suffering, as if this was an argument she frequently had with her daughter.

Jinora huffed indignantly and marched off towards barracks, most likely intending to relay the conversation to Kai.

"Sorry about that," said Pema as the climbed the stairs to the main house. "She thinks she's adult, I think she's still just a girl. They do grow up quickly, don't they? Anyway, dinner should be in about ten minutes."

They reached Korra's door and Pema took her leave of them. "Let's drop off your bag before we head to dinner," suggested Korra, and she slid open the door and allowed Asami to enter first, then entered and quickly closed it. Asami was placing her backpack near the desk, and Korra stepped up behind her and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Finally alone," she said as she pushed Asami's hair to the side and kissed her neck. It was the first time she had ever done it, and when she felt Asami arch against her, she thought her knees might give out.

"Korra," Asami breathed, tilting her head to give her more space. But anything else she had intended to say was lost when Korra spun her in her arms before reaching up to wrap them around her shoulders and bury her hands in her hair. "You know we only have a couple of minutes, right?" said Asami playfully as she ducked her head and pressed their foreheads together.

"Yeah, so you'd better hurry up and kiss me already." She felt her heart race when Asami complied happily. Long arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer, and she couldn't help the tiny moan when Asami backed her against the wall. Then she couldn't hold back the gasp when she felt warm fingers sneak up the sides of her shirt, touching her bare skin. Her body temperature shot up and she had to break the kiss as her head fell back against the wall. "Asami, you're making me crazy," she managed to say, and she could feel Asami's smile against her neck, where she was now focusing her attentions.

"Payback's a bitch, ain't it?"

"Oh," answered Korra, "it's not so bad." She thought of how beautiful Asami looked with her hair down and set to work trying to undo the band holding it in place. In return, her girlfriend kissed her way up to her ear and moved her hand farther up Korra's shirt, stopping only when her palm was resting on Korra's muscular stomach.

Asami knew that things were quickly spiraling out of control, but she was having a difficult time remembering why there were alarm bells ringing in the back of her head. The skin under her palm was the softest she'd ever felt, tempered by the firmness of the muscles beyond. She could hear Korra's labored breathing in her ear, and her hand rose and fell with the inhale and exhale of her lungs. It was intoxicating to think that she was the one causing the great and powerful Avatar to make those amazing noises. She wondered what else she'd be able to make Korra do. Determined to find out, she moved back up and captured her lips, sliding her hand up farther until her fingertips brushed the bottom of the bindings around Korra's chest.

A loud banging on the door made both women freeze. "DINNER!" yelled Meelo in an unnecessarily loud voice. "DINNER IS READY, ARE YOU GUYS COMING?"

"Not anymore," grumbled Korra, letting her head fall forward on to Asami's shoulders. She felt as though someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over her head.

"Oh, right," said Asami. "Dinner." Sadly, she removed her hand from Korra's shirt and wrapped her in a slightly less dangerous hug. "I forgot."

"Me too." She looked up in to Asami's gorgeous green eyes. "I feel like I can never get enough time alone with you."

"We do tend to get interrupted a lot. But you have to admit, we haven't made the best choices about where to spend our private time. First on top of a very public building, and now on Air Temple Island."

Cringing, Korra admitted, "You're right. What were you thinking, accepting my invitation here? We should have stayed at your place."

But Asami smiled and brushed the bangs away from Korra's eyes. "I was thinking that my mansion is huge and empty, and that I love all the activity here. And most of all, was thinking that I love you so much that I don't care where I am as long as you're there with me."

"You really do know how to sweet talk a girl, don't you?" She was brimming with that same warmth she felt every time she was the focus of Asami's full, undivided attention. No one had ever made her feel so special before. "Asami, I think you should know that it's just unreal how much I love you."

From the happy look that got her in return, she guessed that the feeling was mutual.

There came another bang on the door. "Korra, Asami! Dinner!" shouted Meelo again.

"Coming," said Korra, and this time the two managed to separate and make their way to the kitchen, following the chattering Meelo.

"Mom made Asami's favorite cuz she said she's so glad Asami is here because she's such a good friend to Korra but then Jinora said 'They're not friends' and she was all mad about it because Kai is her boyfriend but Mom makes him sleep with the other boys but I don't get why she's mad because you guys are both girls anyway so why would one of you sleep with the boys? But then Jinora said I was stupid and I said she was mean then we started to fight and Mom made me come get you guys. Why is she mad though?" He finally paused to take a breath, then spun around to face them. "But also I told Mom and Jinora that I'm really glad Asami is here too because you're so pretty and nice and Mom said to make sure I told you that although maybe not the part about you being pretty since you guys are like girlfriends or something, right? Oops, but I just accidentally said you're pretty so now I guess the cat's out of the bag!"

"Wow," said Asami, giving him a bemused look. "You just said a lot of things there, buddy."

Any further conversation was cut off by Tenzin, who had just returned to the island after a long meeting at city hall. "Hello Asami. Welcome back," he said, and he gave her a warm smile that was much more personal than their meeting in the city earlier had been.

"Thank you for having me," she answered.

"Come along now, we don't want dinner to get cold."

Korra sat in her usual spot and Asami sat to her right. On Asami's other side, Meelo and Ikki began to scuffle. "I want to sit next to Asami," said Meelo.

"I was here first," retorted Ikki.

"But this is my seat anyway!"

"Well that doesn't matter because we have different people here tonight!"

"Only Asami is different and she's been here tons of times!"

"Kids!" interjected Tenzin. "No fighting at the dinner table. Meelo, you can sit there tonight, and Ikki you can sit there tomorrow."

"But Asami might not be here tomorrow," complained Ikki.

There was an awkward pause as Tenzin belatedly realized his assumption, a blush slowly rising up his neck. Korra was grinning at her dinner plate, Pema was smiling serenely, and Asami was looking at Tenzin with newfound affection. "Well," he stammered, "Asami knows she's always welcome here."

"I'll be here tomorrow," said Asami to Ikki.

Under the table, Korra reached over and took her hand.

"Let's eat!" said Pema, and the rest of the meal was just like every other meal Asami had shared with the family at Air Temple Island—chaotic, loud, messy, and filled with laughter.

Once everyone had finished, Pema rose to clear the table, and as usual, Asami offered to help her. Korra and Jinora headed to the yard to practice airbending forms before bed. From where she was standing in the kitchen, Asami could see their silhouettes in the setting sun. She admired the graceful way Korra moved from one stance from the next. Even though she couldn't bend, she was fascinated with how the Avatar moved freely between one form of bending to the next. In one moment, she would be calm and flowing like water, the next she would be rooted to the ground like a big heavy rock. Now, she watched as Korra moved like wind, changing direction without notice but always seeming to land in the exact right spot. She's so beautiful, she thought with a dreamy sigh.

Pema suddenly cleared her throat beside her and she jumped in surprise. She looked down to realize that she had been drying the same plate for the past several minutes. Pema had finished washing all the plates and they were sitting, dripping wet, on the counter before her. "Sorry," she said, embarrassed. Hurriedly, she placed the dry dish in the cabinet and picked up another.

"That's alright," said Pema sweetly, taking another towel to help pick up Asami's slack. "I remember what it's like to be young and in love."

"So I guess Korra told you, huh?" The conversation wasn't helping with Asami's embarrassment, but luckily Pema really did seem to understand.

"No," she said. "I knew a long time ago. But I'm glad you two finally figured it out. Korra is like a daughter to me. It broke my heart see her go through all the things she's gone through over the past couple of years, but it always made me feel better knowing she had friends like you, Mako and Bolin to help her through."

"I wish she would have let me help more," admitted Asami.

"I do too. I think you both would have been a lot happier that way." Turning to face Asami, she took the towel out of her hands and placed it on the counter, a move clearly intending to bring a serious tone to the conversation. "Korra isn't the only one who's had a rough couple of years. Tenzin and I want you to know that we're here for you, just like we are for Korra. You've lost family, but you've gained one in us, too."

It took a long moment for Asami to be able to answer. "Thank you, Pema. That means so much to me." Wiping away a tear, she gave the older woman a long, heartfelt hug.

Later, she had set up a work station for herself at Korra's desk, but she wasn't getting much done. She was still thinking about what Pema had said. The airbenders on Air Temple Island really had begun to feel like family to her. During Korra's absence, she had spent many evenings here. At first she had dropped by out of the desperate hope that they might had received word from Korra, but after a year or so she had started having dinner with the airbenders once a week. Being on Air Temple Island helped assuage her loneliness. The place itself reminded her of Korra, who she had missed with painful intensity. But she also loved the children and Pema, and the energy of the industrious airbenders was refreshing. She had helped them develop their flight suits and their nation, and gradually she had become greatly attached to everything about the place.

And now, the biggest part of that was home. Not only was she home, but she was hers.

She stared at a photograph on Korra's desk of the four core members of Team Avatar—herself, Korra, Bolin and Mako. She looked at the image of the two brothers and felt another rush of warmth. The brothers, too, were a part of her family now. There was no situation that she could possibly imagine that would make her want to put distance between herself and any one of them. Sitting there in Korra's room, she felt truly blessed.

But the thought that bubbled to the surface was that none of them meant as much to her as Korra did. Since her arrival in Republic City all those years ago, Korra had become the center of her life. Asami had joined "Team Avatar" without a second thought because it had seemed right and natural, even when it had meant sacrificing her relationship with her father. Back then she had rationalized it as doing the right thing because she was with Mako, who would always choose Korra's side. Looking back on it, Asami thought it had probably been because even then, she had known Korra was special, and not just because she was the Avatar. Sure, she had kissed Mako while Asami was still dating him, but she had never let her jealousy mar the relationship between herself and Asami. For a little while, Asami had tried to hold dislike for Korra inside her, but it had always fizzled away in the face of Korra's unerring sweetness and sincerity.

Over time she had come to rely on Korra more and more for emotional support when everything was falling apart, and she had learned for the first time in her life what it meant to have a true friend. Korra was loyal, supportive, and eager to help her with whatever she needed. Whenever something happened, she turned to Korra first every single time. And she liked it that way. It was such a good feeling to know that there was someone who would always be on her side.

So when Korra had been injured so badly in the fight against Zaheer, it had come naturally to offer her friend whatever she needed. If she could have taken away Korra's pain, she would have done it in a heartbeat. She wanted to be to Korra what Korra was to her. The fact that Korra didn't let her broke her heart, but she never stopped feeling that way about her friend.

Because Korra was her family, and she always would be. For a moment she tried to imagine any kind of future without her, but it was impossible. She knew deep in her heart that she wanted to be with Korra for the rest of her life.

The sliding door opened and the subject of her thoughts entered. "Hey," she said brightly. "Whatcha working on?" She came over and plopped down on the bed, setting to work on removing her boots.

"Ostensibly, the design for the new police station. In reality, I'm just sitting here daydreaming."

"And what could you possibly be daydreaming about, Miss Sato?" teased Korra, her back to Asami as she changed in to a comfortable nightshirt. Asami tried not to stare, but she caught a glimpse of a well-muscled back that made her mouth run dry. Once Korra finished dressing, she reclined back against her pillow. She lifted her arm in an unspoken invitation and Asami joined her, laying her head on Korra's shoulder and wrapping an arm across her midriff.

"You," Asami finally answered unapologetically.

"Just as I suspected," said Korra. She reveled in the feeling of Asami's body against her, feeling the tension of the day seep out of her. "It feels so good to lie down. Beifong really worked my butt off today."

"How's the portal looking? The mausoleum looks great so far."

"It's going well. The mausoleum should be done by the end of the week, and once we finish that we can start leveling the ground around it to lay the roads down."

"Do you think it will be stable enough? A good road needs a solid foundation, and the area around the portal is pretty torn up." Asami had drawn up two different possible versions of infrastructure for the city; one that included roads that passed near the portal, and one that built a bridge over it. She had wanted to prepare for the possibility that the area might not be adaptable to construction.

She felt Korra nod. "Yes, Beifong tried leveling various places and it looks like it should be alright. It will probably take a little longer because we need to bring in stone from the quarry, but we should be able to get it done in just a couple of months."

"That's great." Rubbing Korra's stomach lightly, she said, "It's funny that Beifong got roped in to being a construction guide. I guess that's what happens when a large portion of the workers are fulfilling a community service requirement."

Korra laughed. "Yeah, but she actually kind of seems to be enjoying herself. It requires a lot of earthbending, and she loves to earthbend."

"And I bet she gets to boss plenty of people around, another one of her favorite pasttimes."

"Including me! Seems like every time I finish a task, I turn around and she's right there waiting with another."

"Poor baby," cooed Asami. "Do you need me to come and rescue you from the big scary metalbender?"

"Asami, I would pay to see you come by and yell at her. But don't actually do it, because I think Republic City needs you to not be in prison right now."

"Alright, fine. But feel free to tell her that if she wears you out too much, I'll come over and wear her out. I don't want her sending you home to me every night too exhausted to spend time with me."

There was the tiniest of pauses, then Korra said softly, "Every night?"

"That came out wrong," said Asami quickly. "I just meant…"

But Korra tilted her chin up in a gesture that was already familiar to Asami. "I think it came out just right." The kiss she gave Asami was intended to communicate all the love and hope in her heart. She didn't rush or push for more; instead, she reveled in the simple contact, letting it remind her of all the things she had planned for their future together. Afterwards, she shifted until she and Asami were under the blanket. Asami snuggled up against her, letting one of her legs drape over Korra's. "I honestly think I have never been this comfortable in my entire life," she sighed. "You are a seriously good cuddler."

"And you make an excellent pillow."

"I think I'd be willing to work my butt off every day if it meant I could come home to this every night." She turned her head to press a kiss on Asami's forehead. "I know it's too soon to actually live together, but as far as I'm concerned, I see no reason why we shouldn't plan to spend our nights together, either here or at your place."

"If I sleep as well tonight as I did that night in the spirit world, I may never let you leave my bed," said Asami, and there was another pause. "That came out wrong." She felt her face grow warm in an embarrassed blush.

Before she realized what was happening, Asami was rolled on to her back with a beautiful Avatar hovering over her, looking at her with blue eyes darkened with desire. Without hesitation, Korra closed the distance between them, kissing her with a passion that she had previously been bottling up. Asami felt that she was drowning in Korra, surrounded by her, tethered to her. She returned the kiss with equal passion, arching her back to press their bodies closer, running her hands over Korra's back, mapping out the muscles she had gotten a tantalizing glimpse of earlier, tracing them with her fingers. "Asami," Korra breathed, and Asami struggled to listen over her heart pounding in her ears, "I want you so badly. You're all I think about." Korra's hands were doing their own exploration now, running over her hips and sides, then up to her shoulders, then finally down to her chest. When a hand brushed over her breast, Asami couldn't stop a moan from escaping her lips.

They both froze, knowing that the walls at Air Temple Island were paper thin, and Korra dropped her head down to Asami's shoulder. "We can't do this here," she groaned, sounding absolutely tortured.

Asami knew she was right, but she still almost burst in to tears. "I know," she replied. Korra drew back and looked down at her again. The silver moonlight being cast through the window made her eyes look so pale they were almost grey. For a moment, Asami could only stare at her. "You're so beautiful, Korra." And she was even more beautiful when the compliment brought a dazzling smile to her face.

"So are you," she replied. Asami's hair was down, just the way she had wanted it to be earlier. She ran her hand through the wild locks. "I love you, Asami, and I want to make love with you. But when we do, I want to be able to really appreciate it. I want to be able to devote my full attention to you."

"I want that, too," said Asami. "We keep saying there's no rush, and then we try to rush it. Maybe we should just stop kissing each other, and then we won't keep getting in this mess."

"Sorry, not an option," was the serious reply.

"Okay then," laughed Asami. "We'll both just have to be good girls then. Think you can do that?"

"No, but I'll give it a try." Asami pulled her down to kiss away her childish pout.

"That's all I ask. Now come on, let's get some sleep. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow." She turned her back to Korra, taking one of her hands with her. Korra snuggled up close to her back, burying her face in her hair.

It was just as well that they had decided to put a stop to things, thought Asami, because only a few minutes later, Korra's even breathing let her know that her girlfriend had fallen asleep. Beifong really had done a number on her. While she lay in Korra's arms waiting for sleep to claim her, she imagined various scenarios she could possibly use to get Korra alone at a time when she wasn't totally exhausted.

By the time she fell asleep, she had several ideas, and she was certain that she would use every one of them in the near future.


	4. An Avatar's Work is Never Done

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter 4: We have plot! Thanks to everyone who's been following along with this story. In my opinion, this is where things pick up and where I really started to enjoy the hell out of writing this fic, so I hope you guys enjoy it too.
> 
> This is my first foray in to the world of original characters in a fanfic. I created the Ai brothers out of my own brain juice, but I took the name Genly Ai (and the name of his home state Gethen) from one of my favorite books, the sci fi classic The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin. I did this for personal reasons, and for reasons that are somewhat relevant to the plot.
> 
> This chapter is a little shorter than the previous ones, but the next one will be longer. This chapter also brings in one of my absolute favorite characters, Lin Beifong.
> 
> Enjoy!

The afternoon sun was beating down on the crater where Korra and a large group of earthbenders were hard at work. Everyone was sweating profusely, and Korra had even abandoned the fur she kept wrapped around her waist. Off to the side, Lin Beifong was keeping a sharp eye on the work. "Ready!" she shouted. She, Korra and the rest of the earthbenders got in to formation, feet spread wide apart, knees bent, their stances solid like the rock they were about to bend. "Heave!" yelled Lin.

"HO!" answered the earthbenders, and as one, they pushed downward with all their might.

The land in front of them condensed dramatically, crushed smooth by the efforts of nine earthbenders and the Avatar.

"Again! Heave!"

"HO!" came the answering cry, and another push sank the land two feet down.

"Once more! Heave!"

"HO!" This time, the effect was far less dramatic, and every bender could feel that the task had been accomplished. The land resisted their push, which was a sure indicator that it could be condensed no further. Korra stood back and wiped sweat from her forehead, and as she did, she noticed Tenzin approaching, along with two large men in green Earth Kingdom formal wear that she did not recognize.

"Take a break," said Lin, and the earthbenders dispersed to sit in the shade and drink water. Lin went to stand by Korra's side, a protective gesture that Korra smiled to see. The two may have had rocky times in the past, but in the end, Lin was as reliable to her has her mother had been to Avatar Aang. Now she stood with arms crossed, watching the three men approach. "What's this?" she asked Korra gruffly.

"Beats me," she answered. It was obvious that the group had come to see her, though, so she walked forward to meet them halfway, Lin just half a step behind her. "Hey Tenzin. What's up?"

"Korra, I'd like to request your presence at City Hall this afternoon." He gestured to the two strangers. "These are the envoys from the newly formed Earth Republic."

The larger of the two men stepped forward to shake Korra's hand. "My name is Genly Ai, and this is my brother Haku. It is an honor to meet you, Avatar Korra."

Genly's handshake was firm and he met her eyes as he spoke. Over the years, Korra had met many dignitaries and people in high positions. All of them were "honored" to meet her, but she could usually get a gut feeling about which of them were sincere and which of them weren't. Tarrlok, for example, had almost instantaneously rubbed her the wrong way. After so many instances of her first impressions turning out to be correct, she had learned to trust her instincts about people she was meeting for the first time.

This man's mannerisms seemed earnest. Korra sized him up and decided he was probably about ten years older than her. He was well-groomed and well-dressed, so he had probably been born in to a wealthy family. His eyes were the green typical of people from the Earth territories, and she guessed that he was probably an earthbender from the callouses on his hands.

Then she shook the younger brother's hand, and as he echoed the sentiments of his brother, she saw something in his gaze that made her think that at some point, she might have to turn this guy down romantically. It was the briefest of glances at her body, but it didn't go unnoticed by Korra.

But that didn't make her dislike him right away. Plenty of people found her attractive, she was used to it, and most people took her no for an answer. It would be awkward in the moment, but the moment would pass. Haku otherwise seemed like a good guy. She guessed that he was the same age as her, but his eyes held an intelligence that made him seem older.

"Nice to meet you," she said amiably. "Sorry I'm all sweaty. Chief Beifong keeps me working hard." She gestured to Lin as she said this. It was a calculated move on Korra's part, and Lin knew it. She had wanted the newcomers to know who Lin was without making a big formality out of it. It was intended to establish rapport with people who she was inclined to trust, and it also let Beifong know that she could let her guard down because Korra didn't believe they were dangerous.

"Chief Lin Beifong!" said Haku with excitement before he could stop himself. "Wow, it's so great to meet you!"

The corner of Lin's mouth twitched with barely concealed annoyance. "A big fan of my mother's, are you?" she said drolly as she shook his hand.

"No, we're big fans of _you_ ," said Genly, surprising them all. "You once saved our father's life here in Republic City. We were at the arena when the Equalists attacked four years ago. While we were fleeing we got separated from our father, and you stopped a huge chunk of concrete from falling on him. We saw the whole thing happen, but then you were gone so quickly, we never got a chance to say anything to you about it." He reached out to shake her hand, too, looking her straight in the eye. "Thank you, Chief Beifong."

It was clear from the look on Lin's face that she had no recollection of the incident, but also that she was flattered despite herself. "I was just doing my job," she said. "But you're welcome." There was only so much of this emotional talk she could take, so she glanced at Korra and said, "Well, Avatar, I guess you're off the hook today if your services are needed elsewhere. Come back tomorrow." She spun on her heel and marched back to the construction, rounding up the earthbenders she had dismissed just minutes earlier.

"Sorry about her," said Korra with a kind smile. "She doesn't really go in for heart to heart chats."

"That's alright," said Genly. "I've said my piece to her now. If the safety of Republic City is in the hands of women like you and Chief Beifong, then I don't think anyone here has much to worry about."

There was something soft and warm about the way Genly said that, and Korra found herself making the jump from wary acceptance to genuine friendliness towards him. It didn't escape her notice that Genly had showed no signs of romantic interest in her, and she began to suspect that he might not be interested in women at all.

"So what can I do for you?" she asked, glancing at Tenzin.

"We were hoping you might come meet with the Ai brothers and the rest of the council this afternoon. The Earth Republic is reaching a point where the Avatar's assistance might be required," he said.

Korra frowned before she could stop herself. If the Earth Republic needed her, it would probably mean she would have to go to Ba Sing Se, which would almost definitely mean being separated from Asami.

"It's just a meeting," added Tenzin quickly, as if he had read her thoughts.

Forcing her face back in to a friendly smile, she said, "Of course I'll come. Let me just clean up and I'll head over."

"The council is having lunch now. We won't be meeting up again for another hour or so. I was going to take our guests to the commissary if you'd like to join us," suggested Tenzin, but she could tell from his tone that he didn't expect her to take him up on this offer.

"Unfortunately I already have plans for lunch. But I'll be there this afternoon. It was nice to meet you both," she addressed the brothers.

"And you, Avatar Korra."

Korra watched as they walked away, hearing Tenzin explaining about the plans for the reconstruction around the portal. Once they had gone, she set off on foot towards Asami's construction site.

She found Asami in a makeshift "tent" built by an earthbender next to the site. Asami, her foreman Lee, Varrick and Zhu Li were all huddled around some blueprints. "Knock knock," she said to announce her presence.

"Korra! Just who I was hoping to see!" shouted Varrick. He strode over and threw his arm around her shoulders. "Boy have I got a great idea for you! Have you ever wanted to be a mover star?"

"Not really," said Korra.

"That's nonsense, of course you have! Well I've got the role of a lifetime for you—the role of _you_! It's this genius idea that I had. What about, instead of telling a story on the mover screen, we tell the _truth_! We could use the movers to document history! We'll call it: A _docu-mover_!"

Asami raised her eyebrows. "That actually is a pretty good idea," she said.

"Believe it or not, I agree," said Korra.

"Great! Zhu Li, go get the camera!" His wife darted off and returned seconds later with a camera pointing at Korra's face.

"But I won't do it, Varrick. I think I have enough attention from people as the Avatar without being a mover star too."

A huge frown fell over Varrick's face, and he looked so disappointed it was almost comical. "But you're the perfect subject. What story could possibly be more interesting than the Avatar?"

Korra shrugged. "I don't know, but if anyone can figure that out, Varrick, it's you." She reached out and grabbed Asami's hand. "Now if you'll excuse us…"

"Fine, fine, don't let us get in the way of your little lover's date. In fact, Zhu Li, let's go to lunch!" He scooped up the tiny woman in to his arms and marched out of the stone tent. Korra, Asami and Lee watched them go with bewildered expressions.

"I don't know how you can work with that guy," said Korra. "Does he ever stop?"

"Never," said Asami. "But that's exactly what Future Industries needs. The minute we stop innovating, some other company will start stealing the bids."

Having learned their lesson from Bolin's interruption the day before, they found a private, shady spot in the park to have lunch. Through a break in the trees, they could see the statue of Korra that had been placed in the center. "That's embarrassing," she muttered as they sat on the grass, both putting their backs against the same tree.

"No it's not. The city put that there because they love you. Even when you weren't here in Republic City, the people wanted to show their gratitude for everything you've done."

"I bet Tenzin put them up to it," said Korra. "People were so annoyed about the vines, I find it hard to believe they had the idea for this park on their own."

"Actually," said Asami, "he wasn't even in town when they decided to put that statue there. It was suggested by the Horticulture Society because of all the beautiful vines you brought here. Not everyone hates them, believe it or not. And the vote was unanimous, by the way. There wasn't a single person in city hall who thought we shouldn't put that statue there."

For a moment Korra sat in humbled silence. She'd never known that before. She turned to look at the statue, seeing it as if for the first time. She had loved Republic City from the moment she'd set eyes on it. Now, here was the proof that her city loved her back. She smiled at the stone effigy, thinking that it wasn't such a bad thing to look at after all.

"There she is," said Asami. She could see Korra's change of heart clear as day. The smile on Korra's lips was the same confident expression she was accustomed to seeing there, and she knew she had said the right thing to put it back in place. "There's my girl."

"Here I am, thanks to you." She leaned over for a kiss. Something was nagging at her, and as she pulled away from Asami, she realized what it was. Thinking about Republic City had reminded her that she may be about to leave it. "I have to tell you something," she said.

That got Asami's attention. She set aside her lunch and looked at Korra with a questioning expression. Korra reached over and took her hand, entwining their fingers together as she spoke.

"Earlier Tenzin came by the portal with two representatives from the new Earth Republic. I'm supposed to go to a meeting with the council and them at city hall later."

Asami followed the news to its logical conclusion. "They need you in Ba Sing Se," she said flatly; it was a statement, a question, and a realization all at once.

"It's possible. I won't know until tonight, but I did tell Wu I'd go if they needed me."

Sighing, Asami leaned in to Korra's side and looked down at their joined hands, absently admiring the way their different skin tones looked next to each other. They sat together in silence for the better part of an hour, resting against each other and thinking. Finally, when they heard the clock tower chime one o'clock, Korra spoke.

"As the Avatar I have responsibilities to the world," she said quietly. "If they ask me to go, I have to go. But it doesn't mean that I love you any less or that I don't wish I could be here with you."

Asami looked down at her, her green eyes filled with love. "I know that, Korra." She put a hand on Korra's cheek, kissing her so softly and lovingly that if Korra didn't already know how loved she was, she would certainly have learned it at that moment. "I guess what I'm thinking is that it's going to take some time to understand what it means to love not just Korra, but Avatar Korra as well. Being the Avatar is part of who you are, and it's part of what makes me love you so much. So if you have to go, then go. I get it, and I support you, and I'll be right here when you get back."

Scarcely knowing what else to say, Korra held her close and said, "Thank you."


	5. A Vision from Avatar Aang

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here's a long one. Now I get to flex my American government muscles.

At city hall, Korra sat between Tenzin and Beifong and listened to an update from Wu and the Ai brothers on the state of affairs in the Earth territories post-Kuvira. Also seated around the conference table were the other members of Republic City's council, President Raiko, and Mako, who was in attendance at Wu's request.

"As you know, I never assumed the throne. Since leaving Republic City, I've dissolved the monarchy completely," began Wu. "We are now called the Earth Republic. Our territories are already divided in to separate states, and in the current interim period, each of those states has been governing themselves autonomously. At first, I considered the possibility that those states could continue to do so indefinitely. I thought people might be wary of any kind of centralized government after Kuvira."

"That makes sense," said Korra. She remembered the rebels she and Asami had encountered and fought with when they had gone to collect the Earth Queen's gold. As they had fled, one rebel had shouted parting words that the gold belonged to the people, not the monarch. "The monarchy before her wasn't exactly magnanimous either. No offense," she added, remembering belatedly that Wu was related to the late Earth Queen.

"None taken," said Wu flippantly. "You're correct. The Earth Queen exploited the people of the Earth territories. My hope is that the people of the Earth Republic will never again be taken advantage of. For that reason, I never tried to form any kind of central government. I was afraid it may lead to another war." He looked over at Genly, signaling for him to take over.

"But it quickly became evident that certain parts of the Earth territories are far more poverty-stricken than others. My brother and I are from a state called Gethen. Gethen is rich in forest and natural resources, and it has an active port that can dock large cargo ships year-round. Our state's wealth has resulted in impressive infrastructure. Everywhere in Gethen is accessible by road or train.

"But we share a border with the state of Orgrim," he continued. "Orgrim is massive, but it is mostly harsh, uninhabitable desert. It is completely landlocked—its only water is a river which flows near its eastern border. Orgrim's deserts used to contain Wan Shi Tong's library, but even that is now gone, relocated to the spirit world. But there are people in Orgrim. Not as many as there are in Gethen, but there are thousands of people who live there. Those people are impoverished, and it is only getting worse."

Korra listened intently. She could see where he was going with this. "You think Orgrim can't stand on its own?"

Wu spoke up again. "I know for a fact that it cannot," he said. "Throughout history, the surrounding areas have helped it stay afloat. Left without anyone to provide necessary resources to them, they would probably starve to death, and I mean that literally. They can't earn money to buy resources because they don't have anything to sell. The Earth Republic has an obligation to places like Orgrim. So everyone has come to realize that the best idea is to form some sort of central government to ensure that everyone in the country has everything they need."

"So most people support the idea of a centralized government now?" asked Mako.

"Yes, they do," said Wu.

President Raiko asked: "And they'd be alright with losing their freestanding power as states?"

"No, they would not," said Genly.

"Uhh…" Korra tried to process this. "I'm confused."

"They want both," proclaimed Wu in the proud manner of someone who has just shared the greatest idea in history.

"There are twenty-seven states in the Earth Republic," explained Genly. "Each of the states has sent four representatives to Ba Sing Se to take part in a constitutional convention. There, we will write a document which will become the foundation for our country. The hope is that each state will have a voice, that each state will be treated fairly and equally, and that every state will be taken care of by leaders in the central government who were elected by and for the people of the Earth Republic."

Everyone in the conference room fell silent. Korra felt that Genly's words had stirred a powerful storm within her. Deep down inside her, in the part of her that was Raava and thousands of years of Avatars, she saw Avatar Aang's vision of Republic City dancing before her eyes. She understood Aang's drive to create a nation in balance. Now, she saw before her the entire Earth Republic, and understood with perfect clarity why she was meant to help with this task. Her role as the Avatar would be to create a country that balanced its power over the entire territory; a country where every citizen was represented in the leadership so that no one would be powerless.

"Avatar Korra," said Wu, "we request your presence for the constitutional convention, which will begin one week from today."

"So soon!" interjected Tenzin. "Can't it wait a little longer? The reconstruction of Republic City has only just begun. Korra may be needed here to help."

"I know," said Wu with a sigh. "But unfortunately, tensions in the Earth Republic are still high. There is still a chance there could be fighting. In the farthest reaches, there are even still Kuvira supporters. If we wait too long, we run the risk of creating another incident like the one we just had."

"Besides," added Genly, "most of the emissaries from the states are already in Ba Sing Se. We are waiting on two from the state of Pachi, which is farthest state from the capitol. After that, the only people missing are the Avatar and anyone else from Republic City who will come."

"So what do you think?" asked Wu to Korra directly. "Will you come?"

She cast her blue eyes over the visitors, settling her gaze on Genly Ai. "You have a beautiful vision for your country." She bowed her head respectfully. "I would be honored to help to your dream become a reality."

The Earth Republic visitors returned the bow. "The honor is ours, Avatar Korra."

Straightening back up, Korra said, "I do have one request, though. I'd like to remain in Republic City until it's time for the convention to begin. I have some things to take care of here." Things like spending every possible minute with Asami.

"I think that would be fine," said Wu.

"Actually," said Haku, speaking for the first time, "Genly and I were hoping we might be able to learn metalbending here before we head back." He was looking at Lin, who raised an eyebrow at him.

"You can't exactly master metalbending in a week, kid," she said.

"No, we won't be able to master it. But maybe you could show us the basics? We're both pretty good earthbenders and we learn quickly. If we could just get the fundamentals down, we can continue working on it on our own back in Ba Sing Se."

Lin considered it for a long moment, studying the two brothers and sizing them up. "Well, I suppose we could give it a shot," she decided finally.

"Thank you so much," said Haku, and both he and Genly bowed. "We'll do our very best."

"What about you, Wu? Will you stay in Republic City?" asked Mako to his former boss.

"No, I really should go back. Actually I asked you here to see if you would think about coming along. I may not be royalty any more but a man still needs an assistant!"

To everyone's surprise, Mako said: "You know what, I think I will go with you."

"Really?" said Korra, unable to hide the disbelief in her voice.

"Yeah," he said. "Everything seems to be under control here in Republic City. There hasn't even been very much petty crime. I think you're about to make history in Ba Sing Se, and I'd like to be around to see it."

"So you're quitting the force, and you're only giving me one week's notice. Great," said Lin sarcastically.

"Sorry, Chief. You're just going to have to find someone else to weld your beams for you." There was affection in his voice; he and Lin had grown to have a mutual respect for each other during his years on the police force.

With a chuckle, Lin commented, "I'm not losing a welder, I'm losing a damn fine detective. But I understand. Go and be part of something bigger."

Mako swelled with pride. Hearing a compliment from Chief Lin Beifong was a once in a lifetime event. "You could go too, Chief. I'm sure they could use another hand on the police force in Ba Sing Se."

"No, I'm quite sure my place is here." And with that, as far as she was concerned, the subject was closed.

The meeting turned to a round-table discussion of the talent available to the Earth Republic in Republic City. Gradually, an agreement was reached as to who would go to the convention. By the time the meeting adjourned, everyone was sure that the best possible team would be there to ensure a smooth, productive convention that would produce a strong, unified country.

Korra and Tenzin were among the first to leave city hall afterwards, accompanied by Lin, Mako, and the Ai brothers. "Thank you again for agreeing to teach us," said Genly graciously.

"Don't thank me just yet," replied Lin. "You two have a lot to learn in the next few days. It's going to be hard work, and I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're dignitaries from the Earth Republic."

"And we wouldn't ask you to," assured Genly. "Just because we were born in to wealth it doesn't mean Haku and I haven't had to work hard for everything we have. We were selected by the state of Gethen because we believe in this cause. Ever since we were boys we've known we had a greater purpose. We worked hard in school, and we've climbed to the top through our own abilities. I think you'll find we are excellent students."

"I'm sure I will," answered Lin in a tone that could almost be called friendly.

"Chief, I think I would be remiss if I didn't mention my brother Bolin to you," said Mako. "He would love to learn metalbending as well, if you'd have him as a student."

Lin looked at him skeptically. "I seem to recall my sister trying to teach him, and she was unable. What makes you think he even has the ability?"

"I can't answer that question for you, Chief, except to say that you have always been a great teacher to me as a member of your police force. Something tells me that if anyone can teach Bolin to metalbend, it would be you."

Great, thought Lin. More sappy, emotional talk. Lin thought of Bolin as a loud, somewhat obnoxious kid, almost the exact opposite of Mako and the earnest Ai brothers. Privately, she dreaded the headache that would no doubt be her constant companion for the next week. Out loud, she said: "I'll give your brother a chance, but only as a favor to you, Mako. I warn you, though, if he gets distracted or serves as a distraction to the lessons, he's out."

"That's all I ask," said Mako. "Thank you."

The group dispersed, leaving Korra and Mako standing together next to Tenzin's air bison; Tenzin had gone to take the Ai brothers to the hotel where they would stay while they were in Republic City. "When are you planning to leave for Ba Sing Se?" Korra asked Mako.

"Wu plans to leave the day after tomorrow. We'll leave by airship in the early morning."

"We should get the whole gang together tomorrow night to say goodbye. It's been too long since the four of us did something fun."

"That's a great idea," said Mako with a friendly smile. "I'll tell Bolin, since I have to give him the good news about Beifong anyway."

"And I'll let Asami know tonight." She cleared her throat awkwardly before continuing, "About that, Mako. I wanted to say I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about Asami and me sooner."

"You don't have to apologize for that. I completely understand. I told Asami that as long as you're happy, I'm happy, and I really mean that."

"Thank you," said Korra, and she gave him a hug. "You're a good friend."

"And I always will be. I'm here for you, Korra." The way he said it, she could tell he was being completely sincere. Any misgivings she had held over talking to him about Asami were eradicated. They were past all the romantic drama between them, and now he was simply one of her best friends.

"I'm glad you're coming to Ba Sing Se," she told him. "I have no idea what to expect, but knowing you'll be there with me makes it easier. And it's going to be really hard to be separated from Asami," she admitted, deciding that she needed to confide in someone about this, and she'd rather it be Mako than anyone else. She trusted Mako with her life; it was time to trust him with her emotional life, as well. "Even though we've been friends for so long, I still feel like I've only just found her."

"Maybe she can come to Ba Sing Se, too," he suggested.

For a brief moment, Korra pictured her and Asami together in the Earth Republic's capital city. She imagined going back to her quarters at night and curling up with her, talking with her about the convention and the progress of the Earth Republic, walking around the city and seeing all the places Asami might have found during her years at the university. But the picture evaporated quickly. Going to Ba Sing Se was Korra's destiny, not Asami's. "Asami has work to do here," said Korra finally. "As much as I want her to come with me, it wouldn't make any sense. I'm sure if I asked her to come, she would, but I couldn't ask that of her." She crossed her arms and leaned against Oogie the air bison, deep in thought about the woman she loved. "When I was poisoned, she offered to come to the South Pole with me, do you remember that?"

Mako nodded, thinking of the sad goodbye at the docks three years earlier.

"I said no because I needed to be alone. But I also didn't want Asami to give up her life for me. She has so much going for her here; her company needs her, and Republic City needs her. If I let her give up her dreams just for me, she just wouldn't be the person I fell in love with. I could never let that happen. It wouldn't be right."

At that moment, Mako suddenly realized that Korra had never been in love with him, despite what she might have said when they were together. The girl he had dated four years ago was completely different from the woman standing here now. Back then, Korra had run to him because she was scared—scared of Amon, scared of her Avatar duties, scared of being alone. But now, Korra was a fully realized Avatar. She understood her place in the world, and she embraced it.

And in gaining that understanding, she had learned what qualities she valued in others; things like independence, selflessness, and a greater sense of purpose were the things that Korra had come to see as the most important parts of life. All of those qualities were things that Asami possessed in spades. In learning about herself, Korra had also learned about Asami. Even though they were together, Korra knew Asami could, and would, stand on her own. In a way, their togetherness made them each stronger separately.

That was how Mako knew that Korra and Asami were the real deal. He put a hand on Korra's shoulder in a comforting gesture, feeling sympathy for the pain she must be dealing with. "It may not be easy, Korra, but for what it's worth, I think you're doing the right thing. You won't be apart forever. And like you said, I'll be there with you, too. I know I'm a poor substitute for Asami, but I'll do my best to help you whenever I can."

Korra smiled up at him, feeling more affectionate towards him than she ever had before. In the past, they had clashed due to their strong personalities, but now they had reached a level of symbiosis that was the perfect rhythm for their friendship. They were teammates. She and Mako were on the same side. "You're not a poor substitute," she said. "You're an adequate substitute."

"Gee, thanks."

\-------------

Asami was back on Air Temple Island before Tenzin and Korra were. She put her things away in Korra's bedroom before going to help Pema in the kitchen with dinner preparations. Jinora was also there, and she was acting rather frosty towards Asami. "Guess she's still mad," said Asami apologetically to Pema when Jinora had gone to the dining room to set the table.

"Oh, you know how kids are. They can never hold a grudge very long. I'm sure she'll get over it soon enough."

Pema had already heard about the Earth Republic representatives from Tenzin over the phone, so Asami said: "Well, if Korra has to go to Ba Sing Se, the whole thing will be a moot point anyway." She tried to sound casual, but Pema could see right through it.

"Asami, have you ever heard the story of how Republic City came to be founded?" she asked.

"Um, sure," said Asami, not following Pema's thought process at all. What did this have to do with Korra leaving for Ba Sing Se? "I think everyone knows it, right? Firelord Zuko and Avatar Aang founded it so that every kind of bender could live together in peace."

"That's correct. Avatar Aang came here from the south pole to help Firelord Zuko establish this city. They worked on it for years, until finally it was able to stand on its own without their presence." Pema handed Asami a large knife and several stalks of celery to chop while they talked. "Tenzin was a newborn at the time, the only new airbender in over one hundred years. He was too young to bring here. Tensions were still high within the Fire Nation and Aang feared war might erupt at any time. Only once things in Republic City were stable did Katara and the children come here."

Finally, Asami understood why Pema was telling her this story. "Aang left his family in the South Pole to form this city?"

"Yes, he did. Tenzin likes to believe that his father was perfect, but Bumi and Kya both know that his duties as the Avatar always came first. He wasn't gone one hundred percent of that time, but for about five years, he split his time between Republic City and the South Pole."

Now Asami wished she wasn't hearing this story. What if Korra was going to be gone for the better part of five years to help establish a new government in the Earth Republic? Suddenly she felt woozy. "Korra was already gone once, Pema, and I nearly lost my mind. How was Katara able to deal with this?"

"My mother-in-law is one of the strongest people I've ever known. In some ways she knew more about Aang's Avatar nature than Aang himself did. To her, keeping a home for Aang to come back to was her way of helping a world that needed the Avatar. She reminded him of what he was working for. Until Aang, there was no such thing as a pair of brothers like Mako and Bolin. Having two people of the same parentage bending two different elements just didn't happen, and that's the way it had been for 100 years. And yet Aang's own family was that way, waterbenders and airbenders under the same bloodline. His family defined his dreams for the world, and Katara considered it her destiny to do that for him."

In the distance, Asami spotted an air bison approaching. It was still too far away to see its riders, but she'd bet money that one of them was Korra. Behind that, off across the bay, lay the ruined skeleton of Republic City, its once-beautiful skyline now ripped apart. But she could see the portal, a beam of light shooting as high up as the eye could see. It comforted Asami to know that no matter how much the rest of the skyline changed, that great beam of light would always remain a permanent part of the city's beauty. Like the vines, the portal was the evidence of a world in balance, a world protected by the Avatar.

She remembered the conversation she'd had earlier with Korra in the park about the statue. This was Korra's home, the city she loved. And this was the city that would always welcome her back with open arms. "I want to rebuild Republic City," said Asami with conviction. "And I want it to be even more beautiful than it was before. Katara gave Aang a home. I want to do the same for Korra."

"And in return," said Pema, "she will give the whole world its home."

The air bison alighted in the courtyard, and the two of them went out to greet Tenzin and Korra. Asami hung back a little, leaning on a beam at the top of the porch steps as she watched the two of them use airbending to soften their dismount off the air bison. Tenzin stood in the yard talking to Pema, and Korra walked over to Asami. Her expression was grim.

"You're going," said Asami.

"Yes," said Korra. "I have to go."

Asami walked down the stairs and in to Korra's arms, not caring who would see them. She buried her face in Korra's hair, squeezing her eyes shut against the tears prickling behind them. "When?"

"We'll leave in about a week. The emissaries are going to learn the basics of metalbending from Beifong, and then Tenzin and I will go back to Ba Sing Se with them."

"Tenzin's going too?"

"Yes. He had really valuable input when Republic City decided to elect a president and Wu thinks it would be a good idea to have him there. Mako is also going. He's leaving in two days because he's going back with Wu. We made plans for the whole gang to get together tomorrow night for his last night in town."

Tenzin and Pema approached them, and they broke apart to face them. "I'm sorry, Asami. I tried to get them to hold off a little longer, but the situation is beyond our control," said Tenzin.

"It's alright. It doesn't seem right to delay important world affairs just for my sake, anyway."

"Well, yours and Korra's," amended Tenzin gently. "We've only just come through the other side of that whole fiasco with Kuvira. I think we were all hoping to get a little time to ourselves to rest and rebuild."

At the dinner table, Tenzin broke the news to his kids. "When will you be back?" asked Jinora.

"There's really no way to know," said Tenzin. "It took my father and Firelord Zuko five years to form the United Republic and Republic City."

"Five years!" exclaimed Ikki and Jinora at the same time.

"But it probably won't be that long," Korra rushed to add. "We're going there to write a new constitution for the Earth Republic, then help them set up some sort of election system. We're creating a new government, not a new country the way Aang and Zuko did. So hopefully it won't take that long."

"Will you visit?" asked Meelo.

"Whenever we can," said Tenzin. "And it's even plausible that you can come visit us in Ba Sing Se."

"That would be fun," said Jinora. Shyly, she added, "Asami could come too."

Asami smiled at her, wondering what had caused her sudden change of heart. "I'd like that," she said.

"So would I," said Korra.

After dinner, Asami and Korra decided to take a walk around the island. Just as they were headed out the front door, Jinora stopped them. "Hey," she said, "I wanted to say I'm sorry for being rude. I was just mad because Kai isn't allowed to sleep in my room. But now I understand that since Korra is leaving, you will want to spend time together."

"Jinora, I appreciate that, but I think you're kind of missing your mom's point," said Korra. "She doesn't want Kai to stay in your room because you're too young. Do you remember when I was dating Mako? I was seventeen years old, which is three years older than you are now. Where did Mako sleep when he came to live here on the island?"

Jinora's eyes brightened with remembrance. "He stayed on the boy's side," she said as if only just realizing it.

"That's right. We were older than you, and dating, and Pema never let Mako sleep in my room." This was a fib of course—she had never wanted Mako to sleep in her room, but Jinora didn't need to know that. Besides, if she had ever wanted Mako to sleep with her, she doubted that Pema would allow it.

"Oh," said Jinora. The fight seemed to seep right out of her. "I completely forgot about that."

"It's okay. But now, Asami and I are adults, so your mom lets us make our own decisions. Maybe if you start acting more mature about this, your mother might be more inclined to grant you some leeway."

Seeing her point, Jinora nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry I got mad at you."

"It happens, kiddo. Now come here." Korra gave her a hug, and then Jinora turned to give one to Asami, too.

"I also just want to say that I'm really happy for you guys. I can tell this is a good thing because all the spirits have been dancing around you two ever since you got back from the spirit world."

"What?" said Korra, looking over at Asami.

"See for yourself. Come on out, guys."

All around them, little glowing rabbit-fly spirits appeared, all flitting about happily and smiling at Korra and Asami. "Wow," breathed Korra. "I had no idea."

"They like you," said Jinora to Asami. Two spirits were now sitting on Asami's shoulders, their tails flicking cheerfully.

"They're so cute!" Asami reached up to scratch one of the spirit's belly. "Hello there!"

For their whole walk, the spirits stayed with the two of them, lighting the path ahead with their friendly glow. As they strolled hand-in-hand around the island in the falling dusk, Korra told her girlfriend about the events of the day. She explained the situation in the Earth Republic, and she shared the idea for a split-power government that Genly had described.

"When he told us about what they were planning, I got a vision from Avatar Aang," said Korra. "Well, actually, it was more like I saw Aang's vision. I saw what he dreamed about Republic City, and I felt his desire for it just the way he must have felt it."

Asami looked at her curiously. "What does that mean?"

"I think it means that I'm supposed to help the Earth Republic with this." They had reached the pavilion where Asami had once brought her a cup of hot tea. They stood next to each other, leaning on the railing and looking out over the city. One by one, its lights were coming on as the sun sank lower beyond the horizon. "Asami, I've told you things about being the Avatar that I've never told anyone else before. You know how I've struggled with feeling like I'm not capable of doing all the things the Avatar is supposed to do. That day you brought me tea here, I told you I felt like the world was more out of balance than ever."

"I remember," said Asami.

Turning to face Asami, Korra continued: "But now I know that the world is in balance. I can feel it deep down inside. That day I was thinking that if only I could stop the fighting, then my job would be finished. Today I realized that I was wrong about that. I know I can help in other ways than just fighting. I didn't stop being the Avatar the day we defeated Kuvira. I thought maybe helping to rebuild Republic City was the best thing for me to do now, but Aang's vision reminded me that the struggle for balance is ongoing and never-ending. If I want to maintain peace, I have to actively maintain it."

Studying Korra's tanned face, Asami could see no trace of the uncertainty and fear that had once lined her expression and clouded her crystal blue eyes. In its stead, she saw confidence, determination, and conviction. Back on that day on this pavilion, the two of them had reflected on the past in an attempt by Korra to understand her place as the Avatar. The Korra she saw before her was a sharp contrast to that confused, frightened girl she had once been. "Korra, I'm so proud of you," she said. "Watching you come in to your own identity has been the greatest pleasure in my life. You've changed so much in such a short time. You've accomplished so much for the world, and I can't wait to see what you're going to do next."

Korra beamed at her. Asami's approval meant more to her than she could possibly say, so she didn't try. Instead, she said, "I think you'll like what I'm going to do next," and took Asami in to her arms for a long, heartfelt kiss.


	6. A Night on the Town

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have to address a factual mistake I made in this story. In this chapter I introduce Cabbage Corp, the company started by the son of the cabbage merchant in "The Last Airbender." In "The Legend of Korra" the CEO gets arrested in season one because the RCPD believes he's building weapons for the Equalists, but then later on it's revealed that actually Cabbage Corp was framed by Hiroshi Sato. I didn't realize until I was too far in to this fic that Cabbage Corp was framed.
> 
> So in the world of this fic, I'm going to retcon the show and say that Cabbage Corp is now defunct. A minor detail to miss, but it matters for this story. Sorry!

Asami stood in front of the full length mirror in her bedroom pinning her hair in to place. The two other necessary hair pins were sticking out of her mouth, and one by one, she used them to achieve the complicated bun that she had learned to perfect over the years. She was already wearing her red evening gown; she had been preparing for the night ahead for the last hour. The hairdo was the last part of the look, and once she finished it, she surveyed her reflection with a satisfied smirk. She was certain that she was going to knock a certain Avatar's socks off.

Not that Korra seemed to ever find her unattractive. In fact one of the most flattering moments in her life had been in the spirit world, where she and Korra had just spent the day climbing a rocky mountain because General Iroh had assured them that the view from the top was spectacular. Asami had reached the summit first with Korra just a step behind her, and she had stopped to breathlessly take in the beauty of the colorful world all around them. Then she had turned to look at Korra, and that was when she had understood why Iroh had sent them there. Korra was staring unabashedly at her, hardly seeming to notice the landscape around them. They were both sweaty and dirty from the climb, their hair and clothes frazzled and disorderly, and yet somehow, neither woman could ever remember seeing anything more radiant in all their lives. It was on the fourth day, before the encounter with the black bear dog spirit that had been the catalyst for the sharing of their romantic feelings, but at that moment on that mountain, Asami knew that Korra thought she was beautiful even without her saying the words. And indeed, there with Korra, she had _felt_ beautiful.

Since then, Korra had told her several times that she thought Asami was beautiful. But it didn't change her desire to see that awed look in Korra's eyes again.

Tonight, she was certain she would see it again.

The thought had just crossed her mind when she heard the chiming of the doorbell echo through the huge, empty mansion. She grabbed her purse and hurried down the stairs, eager to greet Korra at her front door. When she pulled open the front door and saw Korra, she felt the breath leave her lungs. Clearly, Korra had also pulled out all the stops for this night. She was wearing an elegant but understated blue dress, one of the few times Asami had ever seen her don one. The dress was sleeveless and it showed off those muscular arms that Asami loved to feel around her. In fact, just standing there looking at her, she could imagine what they would feel like if Korra were to reach out and touch her, and she could think of nothing in the world that she wanted more.

"Hi," said Korra finally.

"Hi," answered Asami.

"You look… Just, wow."

"You, too." They stood staring at one another for a second. "Do you want to come in?"

"Yes, I want that very much. But I don't think that it would be a good idea," confessed Korra with a shy smile.

Asami knew what she meant. In fact she realized that the invitation itself had been loaded. She knew exactly what would happen if Korra came in to her home just now. "You're right, I'm sorry," she said, cringing at her own lack of tact.

"Don't apologize." Korra reached out and took her hand, gently tugging her out on to the front porch. "Let's go, though. My scruples have a sixty second shelf life here."

It was already nighttime, but the full moon and the lights of the city made the streets alive with a silvery glow. Korra rested her arm on the door of Asami's convertible-top satomobile, watching the streets of her beloved city fly by. Now that she knew she was leaving Republic City, she had begun to feel an affinity for it far beyond that which she already felt. When she looked around now, she felt a connection to Avatar Aang that she thought had been forever severed by Unalaq, and it suffused her with Raava's warm, comforting presence.

She looked over at Asami, who was focusing on the road with the typical confidence and pleasure she always exhibited when behind the wheel. The love she felt for Asami was almost indistinguishable from Raava's warmth, she reflected. There was no one else that she would rather entrust the future of Republic City to. Asami shared the same reverence and pleasure in the place that Korra did.

"Can I ask you something?" she said.

"Of course," answered Asami, glancing affectionately at her.

"When you wrote to me when I was gone, you said that it just wasn't the same in Republic City without me. What did you mean by that?"

Asami smiled sadly but didn't take her eyes off the road as she took a moment to consider her answer. Finally, she said, "After you left, I buried myself in my work. The vines were still a problem and the city contracted my company to rebuild the roadways. Everyone who was involved with the project would always say things like 'These pesky vines' or 'The vine problem' to refer to what was happening. But I could never bring myself to feel that way about them, especially not after what happened with Zaheer. After you left, every time I looked at the vines, I saw something poignant in them. They became a symbol of what you did for this city; how you kept everyone safe, and how you brought the spirits here. I came to realize that the vines were beautiful."

"You told me that a lot of people thought that," commented Korra. "That's why they built the statue, right?"

"Yes," said Asami. "People began to appreciate them because superficially, they really are very nice. They smell good, and they give the whole city a sort of rustic look. When I designed the roadways, I used the stylistic essence of the vines to create a system that looks harmonious alongside them." She glanced over at Korra again, her green eyes filled with remembered sadness. "But that isn't what I loved about them. You are the bridge between the two worlds, Korra, and when you left Republic City, I began to realize that the vines were here because they were supposed to be here. They were here because you brought them here. I know you tried so many things to get rid of them, but I think a part of you always knew that they were here to stay."

Korra nodded slowly, acknowledging the truth in the statement.

"So that's what I meant when I said that in my letter," concluded Asami. "I missed you so much, and whenever I saw the vines, I saw _you_."

They drove the rest of the way in silence. Asami parked the satomobile outside the restaurant and got out. Then she was surprised to suddenly find herself in Korra's arms. "I'm so sorry," Korra whispered in to her ear.

Asami returned the embrace, breathing in Korra's scent, thinking that it kind of reminded her of the pleasant scent of the vines that lingered all throughout the city. "I told you, you have nothing to apologize for," she replied.

"I shouldn't have been gone for so long. I should have come back."

"You did what was right for you at the time. Maybe if you had come back, we would never have taken our vacation, and we would never have gotten the chance to be together this way."

"I doubt that," said Korra. "No matter what happened, I still would have fallen in love with you."

They couldn't resist a kiss; the tension on Asami's front porch and the conversation they had just shared weighed heavily on Korra's mind, filling her with desire and love for Asami. She was becoming addicted to the feeling of the rest of the world falling away when her lips were pressed against Asami's. It was the most unbelievably amazing thing she'd ever felt. The only experience that was even remotely comparable was the intense power and energy she felt in the Avatar state, when she was completely suffused with ten thousand years of Raava's warmth.

Then, she experienced another familiar moment when there was a loud, " _Ahem!_ " from behind her. She pulled away from Asami and turned to find Mako and Bolin standing there. Mako was blushing and trying not to look, but Bolin was standing with his hands on his hips and staring. "Don't you think you guys could start finding more private places to smooch? Like maybe in one of Varrick's movers?"

Asami laughed, moving her arms from around Korra's shoulders to step up to the brothers. "Alright, Bolin, give it a rest." She cast her gaze at the two of them, taking in their formal outfits approvingly. "You two look great," she commented. "You really do clean up nice."

"And you ladies are absolutely stunning," said Bolin, taking Asami's hand and kissing the back of it with a flourish, then doing the same to Korra. "If you weren't totally in to each other, I think I might be tempted to flirt with the both of you."

"Don't you have a girlfriend?" Korra reminded him.

"Yes, and she's mine, so don't you get any ideas, you girlfriend-stealer you."

Shaking her head, Korra led the foursome in to the fancy restaurant where they had decided to have dinner. The host recognized them immediately. "Avatar Korra, your table is ready for you. Right this way, please."

Bolin elbowed Korra in the ribs. "Sure is nice having the Avatar as a friend," he said with a smirk.

The restaurant was dimly lit and filled with people wearing very nice clothes. Some of them nodded at Korra as she passed. She had grown used to the feeling of people staring at her when she entered a room, but tonight she noticed that Asami was also receiving her fair share of attention. Asami was easily the most beautiful woman in the room, in Korra's opinion. Look all you want, boys, thought Korra. She's mine.

They were seated in a semi-circular booth near the dance floor, where several couples were dancing to the live band on stage. Korra was amused to notice that it was Tahno's band. They exchanged nods when they made eye contact, then Tahno returned his attention to his horn. After Varrick and Zhu Li's wedding Korra had offered to restore his bending but he had declined, declaring that music was his new passion in life.

Once seated, they placed their drink orders and began to catch up. "So when will you begin metalbending training with Lin?" Korra asked Bolin.

"Tomorrow," he answered. "We would have started today, but the Ai brothers were in meetings with Wu. Once Wu leaves, though, they'll be free for morning lessons."

"Are you excited?" asked Asami.

Bolin waggled his hand in the air. "Yes and no. I want to learn, but I'm kind of, um… terrified of Chief Beifong."

Korra laughed heartily at that. "Just the way she likes it," she said.

"It's not funny. I think if the Ai brothers weren't going to be there, I'd have turned the offer down. That lady gives me the creeps, seriously."

Trying valiantly to contain her laughter, Korra asked: "Have you met the Ai brothers yet?"

"No. What are they like?"

"You're about to find out," said Mako. "They're headed this way right now." He nodded his head towards Korra, who twisted in her seat to see the Ai brothers approaching their table.

"Good evening, Avatar Korra," said Genly. He and his brother were both looking very dashing in their green Earth Republic formal attire. "It's good to see you again."

Korra stood and clasped hands with each of them in turn. "Just Korra, please. And likewise. What a surprise running in to you here."

"Indeed. My brother and I just finished our meal and were about to head back to the hotel."

Remembering her manners, Korra gestured to her friends. "Everyone, may I introduce Genly and Haku Ai, the emissaries from the state of Gethen in the Earth Republic. You guys know Mako already, but this is his brother Bolin. He'll be learning metalbending from Chief Beifong with you starting tomorrow."

"Wonderful!" said Genly. He clasped Bolin's hand in a firm grip, as if meeting someone who was an unquestionable ally. "I look forward to it."

"Me too," said Bolin, clearly a little flustered at all the formalities.

"And this," continued Korra, "is Asami Sato, the head of Future Industries. Asami is spearheading the reconstruction efforts here in Republic City."

As Asami shook their hands, Korra once again noticed that Genly seemed immune to Asami's feminine charms and felt even surer that he was not interested in women. A man would have to be same-sex oriented to fail to notice Asami's beauty, she rationalized.

By contrast, Haku raised Asami's hand to his lips, just as Bolin had done earlier. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Sato," he said cordially.

Bolin snorted in to his water glass. "Don't even bother, buddy, not unless you think you can compete with the _Avatar_."

An awkward silence fell over the table.

"Whoops," said Bolin.

A deep red blush came over Haku's face, but to his credit, he recovered quickly and said, "No, I don't think I can. Still, though, it's good to meet you."

"Likewise," said Asami with a friendly smile.

Korra noticed that Genly was giving her a serious look. She met his gaze evenly and gave him the slightest of nods, and when he next spoke, she could sense that yet again, her initial judgment about him had been correct. "Korra, it will be a pleasure getting to know you in Ba Sing Se," he said with an air of comradery, leaving out her Avatar title for the first time. His eyes reflected heartfelt friendliness. "But I think for now, Haku and I had better get going. Miss Sato, it was nice to meet you. Mako, have a safe journey to Ba Sing Se. Bolin, I will see you tomorrow at practice."

Once they had gone, Korra sat down again and sipped from her glass. "What was that all about?" asked Mako.

"Yeah, he looked like he wanted to give you a big giant hug," said Asami.

"Who?" asked Bolin obliviously.

"Genly. Geeze, Bolin, do you ever pay attention to anything?" grumbled Mako.

Ignoring this, Korra explained: "I think Genly might be gay."

Asami instantly accepted this explanation, making an "Ah ha!" noise. "Of course! That makes perfect sense."

"Wait a minute," said Mako. "What makes you think that? Didn't you just meet the guy?"

Korra and Asami stared at him like he was a total idiot. "Come on, Mako. He didn't even glance at Asami, and she's the sexiest woman in the entire restaurant."

Beaming at Korra, Asami said, "Thank you."

"This conversation just got really weird," said Bolin.

Mako didn't say anything, but he shifted in his seat. Though he wouldn't say it out loud, he could definitely see Korra's logic.

Asami disregarded their discomfort and commented, "Maybe he's never met another gay person before, so that's why he seems so interested in you, Korra."

"That's kind of what I was thinking. I wonder if he's been hiding it his whole life."

"If he has," added Mako, "then it's probably because it's frowned upon where he's from."

Reflecting on this, Korra decided that Mako might be right about that. "That's really sad," she said. "I have to admit I don't know very much about how the Earth territories treat same-sex couples. Where I grew up in the South Pole, it wasn't a big deal at all. A warm body is a warm body, after all."

"It's not controversial here," said Asami, "at least not in the wealthy part of Republic City society."

"It wasn't on the streets, either. When you have nothing, there really isn't any reason to deprive anyone of someone to love," said Bolin.

"But there are definitely places in the world where it's not supported, and I think it's probably certain places in the Earth territories," mused Asami. "I remember reading something about it when I was at the university in Ba Sing Se, but at the time I didn't pay too much attention to it." At the time, she added mentally, she'd never considered the possibility that she might end up with a woman instead of a man. The more she thought about it, she more she realized that her attitude towards the issue was a product of her upbringing in Republic City. Her father may have hated benders, but she had never heard him take issue with any other one group of people. And the same was true for every other member of high society she'd ever met. Aang's vision didn't just include equality between benders; he had created a city that believed in equality for _all_.

"If it's true that there are places in the Earth Republic where people like us are looked down on, then that's something that I as the Avatar can try to change." Korra took Asami's hand under the table. "But I'll only do it if you're alright with it, Asami. I doubt I'll be able to do it without everyone finding out that it's a personal matter for me."

"Of course I'm alright with it," said Asami. "If they don't find out now, they'll figure it out when ten years down the line we're still getting caught smooching in public." This was said with a playful wink at Bolin.

"Ten years!" said Bolin excitedly. He slapped his brother on the shoulder. "Listen to them, Mako! They're talking about ten years from now! That's so great!"

Mako couldn't help but smile at Bolin's playful exuberance and his genuine happiness for his two best friends. "It is pretty great," he agreed. He raised his glass, and when everyone else had followed suit he said, "To Korra and Asami, today and ten years from now."

They all drank.

After they had finished eating, they danced for a while before deciding to end the night. Mako still had packing to finish, plus he needed to meet Wu before dawn to leave for Ba Sing Se. The four of them left the restaurant and Asami offered Mako and Bolin a ride home. When she made an unexpected turn down a darkened side road, Mako said, "This isn't the right way."

"There's major construction on Sixteenth Street," explained Asami. "This way will be faster, trust me."

The side road ended in a traffic signal and they were stopped by a red light. Korra looked around and recognized where they were. "Didn't Cabbage Corp used to have its factory near here?"

"It looks like they still do," said Bolin, pointing to a large building across the street. Though the building was unmarked and seemed to be falling in to disrepair, it was obvious that there was activity inside it because there was light under the massive metal front door and there was steam coming out of the chimney.

"But I thought Cabbage Corp got shut down when the RCPD discovered that they were working with the Equalists," said Korra.

"They did." Mako leaned forward in his seat, squinting at the building. "Chief Beifong arrested the lot of them."

"As far as I know, Cabbage Corp isn't around anymore," said Asami. "They certainly haven't taken any bids in the reconstruction. Only Future Industries and Sen Incorporated so far have drafted work."

"Maybe Sen Incorporated is using Cabbage Corp's old factory," suggested Bolin.

"I doubt that. Sen Inc has plenty of factories out in the countryside. Plus they aren't allowed to work within the city limits because their factories produce too much pollution. I've figured out how to cut back on Future Industry's emissions, but Sen Inc hasn't been able to do it so far."

Mako asked the question they were all thinking: "Well then, what's going on in there?"

The light turned green and a vehicle behind them honked. Asami made a right and parked the satomobile across the street from the factory. "Should we go check it out?" she asked, looking at the others to gauge their answers.

"Let's do it," said Korra, already unbuckling her seat belt. "We'll have one last adventure together before we go our separate ways."

They walked across the street and approached the building, looking around them for any sign that they might be in danger. First they tried to see through the front, but the metal door was solid and there was no way to see around it. Bolin even tried lying on the ground and looking underneath, but it was impossible for him to tell what he was looking it.

Then they walked around the entire perimeter of the building looking for any windows they could see through, but they were closed up with the same solid metal that was used for the front door. Korra airbent her way from the ground to the top of a neighboring tree and from there she jumped to the top of the roof, where she discovered that the skylight, too, was obscured. Disappointed, she jumped back down to the ground, the air blowing her dress around her legs. "Nothing," she said simply.

After ten minutes, they were forced to conclude that unless they barged their way in, there was no way for them to see what was happening inside the building. As they headed back to the car, a whirring overhead made Mako look up. "Look," he said, pointing to the object that had made the noise.

A camera was mounted near one of the windows on the second level of the factory, and it was pointing right at them. They suspected that it had been following them the entire time. "That's not creepy at all," said Asami.

"Well, that was less exciting than I hoped it would be," lamented Bolin once they were back in the car and on their way to Mako and Bolin's apartment. "We didn't even get to fight anyone."

"That's supposed to be a good thing," deadpanned Mako.

"Yeah, I guess," said Bolin unconvincingly.

When they had reached Mako and Bolin's house, hugs were exchanged all around. Asami and Mako said their goodbyes, since this was the last time the two of them would see each other for an indefinite amount of time. "Take care of Korra for me in Ba Sing Se," she said in a low voice so the others wouldn't hear.

"I will," he promised.

Korra and Asami watched until the front door of their building had closed behind them, and then looked at one another in the darkness.

"Come home with me?" asked Asami in a quiet voice.

It was the thing they both had been keeping in the back of their minds all night. Tonight, they found themselves alone with each other in Republic City, facing the option of spending the night at Asami's mansion. Hearing the question from Asami's lips and seeing her green eyes darkened with desire caused Korra's pulse to race.

"Yes," she said, because it was the only possible answer.

The entire drive, Korra entertained visions of herself suavely taking Asami's hand and leading her to the bedroom, where she would lean in and kiss her and touch her and take her long black hair out of that bun as soon as possible because Asami looked so damn breathtaking with her hair down. They pulled up in front of the mansion and Korra waited for Asami to walk around the car so that she could make her vision a reality. She led Asami to the door, waited for her to unlock it, and then she quickly encountered a roadblock—she actually had no idea how to get to Asami's room.

Asami was paying attention to every little thing Korra was doing, searching for any sign of uncertainty, and when she saw a frustrated look come in to those blue eyes, she reached out to brush the bangs back from her forehead. "What's wrong?" she said softly.

"I've never seen your bedroom before," said Korra unexpectedly.

"Oh," said Asami, a little confused. "Well, it's upstairs."

"Sorry. It's stupid. I just wanted to appear all confident and sure of myself, but I realized I can't lead you to your room if I don't know where it is."

"Oh," said Asami again, this time with obvious relief. "Korra, you don't have to 'appear' any way for me. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes," said Korra. "Definitely."

"Then that's all that needs to be said. It's okay to be nervous. I'm nervous too."

"You are? Because you don't really seem nervous."

"Of course I am." Asami brought Korra close for a comforting hug. "But you are the most important thing in my life, and I'm ready to show you how much you mean to me."

Tilting her head up, Korra captured her lips for a kiss, barely stopping herself from reaching up and burying her hands in Asami's hair the way she so desperately wanted to. By the time she pulled away, she was having difficulty drawing in a full breath. "You can start by showing me where your bedroom is."

Asami laughed shakily, turning and taking Korra's hand to lead her up the stairs. Her room was the first down the hall, and she opened the door for Korra, who walked in and looked around. The room was cast in darkness, although there were full length windows leading out to a balcony that let the moonlight pour in from the outside. Half of the room seemed ornate and showy, including the huge bed with fancy pillows and blankets, but the other half had Asami imprinted all over it—the walls near her desk were covered in drawings and schematics for machines that Korra couldn't even begin to imagine the purpose of. And on the desktop itself was what was clearly an engine, surrounded by tools and other mechanical knickknacks. Korra saw it and laughed. "Gee, I wonder who lives in this room," she teased.

"Sorry," said Asami, clearly embarrassed. "I meant to put that away before…"

But whatever she was going to say was lost when Korra covered her mouth with her own, finally giving in to the temptation to get Asami's hair down. Once that was done, she stood back and surveyed the results, grinning that mischievous half-grin that Asami loved. "Have I mentioned that I love the way your hair looks when it's down?"

"Yes, I think you have," answered Asami. She reclaimed Korra's lips, backing her slowly towards the bed, putting her hands on her hips and running them up and down her sides. "Are you still nervous?" she whispered, moving down to kiss the side of Korra's neck.

"A little," admitted Korra.

"Don't be." Asami tipped her chin up to make eye contact, demanding her full attention. "It's just me."

Korra gazed back into her green eyes and reflected on all the things the two of them had been through over the years. She remembered Asami holding her hands on Air Temple Island after she had been poisoned, and she remembered seeing Asami's eyes then, too, back when she had been at the absolute lowest point in her entire life. Now, she was past that—they were past that, and they were together, and Korra had never felt more loved. Just Asami, she thought. Just my Asami. And there really was nothing to be nervous about. She smiled at Asami, who smiled back.

"There she is," said Asami softly. "There's my girl."

"Here I am," agreed Korra. "I love you, Asami."

"I love you, too."

This time when they kissed, there was yet another subtle shift in their relationship. Because this time, there was no time limit. There was no other obligation except an entire night spent with only one another to think about.


	7. Attack on the Mountainside

"We really should go to sleep," said Korra several hours later. "Aren't you tired?"

"Yes," said Asami. She was busy tracing the muscles on Korra's stomach with her fingertips, admiring their definition and the bronze tone of Korra's skin. "You have the most amazing body."

"Thanks. I lift a lot of rocks."

"I can tell." Finally finishing her inspection of Korra's midriff, she moved lower to run her hands over toned thighs and calves. "And these? Are they from earthbending too?"

"Maybe airbending, or good old-fashioned running." She wasn't sure how she was able to come up with so many words considering that Asami was now running her hands up the insides of her thighs.

"Maybe," agreed Asami, moving her body back up but leaving her hands in place. "Either way, you're perfect," she declared, kissing Korra for what must have been the thousandth time that night.

Perfect was a good word, thought Korra. It was the word she would use to describe the positioning of Asami's fingers right at that very moment. She wrapped one arm around Asami's back and used the other to hold Asami's hand in place just exactly right there, for just a little longer. All of her senses were on overload, feeling Asami's soft breasts against her own, her hair like a curtain around them, her lips now moving to the side of her face, then teeth nipping at her earlobe and a soft whisper, "That's it, Korra, just like that." And when she fell over the edge, she honestly thought for a moment that she had gone in to the Avatar state. It was only afterwards when she managed to catch her breath that she was reasonably sure she was mistaken.

"I really love doing that to you," said Asami.

Korra could only give a breathless chuckle. "Do you now?"

"There is something very sexy about being able to make the Avatar turn in to a helpless puddle of mush." Asami gave her a coy smile, propping herself up on one elbow next to Korra.

"I wasn't a helpless puddle of mush," said Korra petulantly, but Asami just continued to smile at her. "Okay, maybe I was." Without warning, she pushed Asami on to her back and pinned her down with her wrists above her head. "But I'm still the Avatar. I can still get the best of you." She took a moment to look down at Asami's naked body, appreciating the sight and filled with the desire to touch her again. "You want to talk about amazing bodies, Asami? You are a goddess. You're everything a woman is supposed to be."

She released Asami's wrists and began her own close inspection of Asami's body. "You have these curves right here," she ran her hand over Asami's hips where they flared out before narrowing down to her pelvis. "I don't have curves like this. It's feminine and beautiful, and so unbelievably sexy. And your breasts," she continued, taking one of them in her hands and smiling when Asami arched in to her touch. "I don't think I'll ever be able to get enough of them." She slid down and used her tongue to tease one nipple in to a point before putting her lips around it. She felt Asami's fingers thread in to her hair and she absently mused that after everything they'd done tonight, her hair was probably a total mess.

She kissed her way down Asami's body, smiling against her navel when she felt her lover squirm in anticipation. "Hmm, I wonder what I should do next?" she said in a joking tone. "What would you like me to do, Asami?"

"Please, Korra…"

"Please what, my love?" Teasingly, Korra moved back up Asami's body, grinning when it caused a frustrated groan and the fingers in her hair tightened their grip as if Asami was trying to keep in her place. "Did I do something wrong? I'm new at this; I'm not sure what to do."

Finally, Asami begged: "Put your mouth on me, Korra, _please_!"

"That sounds like an excellent idea." Without further delay, she slid between Asami's legs and hastened to comply. She flattened her tongue over Asami, her own body humming with pleasure. This was quickly becoming her favorite activity, and it was amplified by just how crazy it made Asami. Using her strong arms to hold Asami in place, she brought Asami higher and higher until finally, there was that magic moment where her whole body went taut for a few long seconds, and then gradually she felt Asami come back down. Once she was certain there was nothing more she could do to prolong Asami's climax, she crawled back up and rested her head on Asami's chest.

"You're terrible," said Asami, holding Korra against her tightly.

"Really? Because from where I was laying it seemed like that was pretty good."

Asami laughed. "You know what I mean."

"I know. I'm sorry. I honestly have no idea where that came from."

"Don't be sorry." Tipping Korra's face up for a slow, luxurious kiss that was tinted with her own taste, Asami confessed: "I liked it."

"I'm glad." She noticed that Asami was struggling to keep her eyes open. "You're tired," she said.

"I'm exhausted, but I feel like I don't want to miss a single minute of this night."

"I feel the same way, trust me." She reached down and pulled the blanket over them. "But this is only the first night out of thousands of nights. We will make love together many times over the course of our lives. You can count on that."

It was a very comforting thought. Asami gave in and settled her head on Korra's shoulder, nuzzling her neck. "I love you," she murmured sleepily.

As she drifted off, she heard Korra return the sentiment.

In the morning, they spent a few precious minutes pretending the rest of the world didn't exist before Korra realized a very real problem. "I didn't bring a change of clothes," she said in to Asami's hair, and started to laugh.

"So what? Just wear what you wore… Oh, wait…" Remembering the dress she had slipped off Korra's body the night before, she began to laugh, too.

"What am I going to do? I'm supposed to be at the portal in an hour." She rolled on to her back and groped around on the floor until she found her blue dress. "I can't earthbend in this."

Asami was still laughing, imagining the look on everyone's face if Korra were to show up in that outfit.

"Stop laughing," complained Korra, despite the fact that she loved the sound of Asami's laugh, even if it was at her expense.

"Okay, okay. I think I have an idea." She got out of bed, still gloriously naked, and walked to her closet. "I have some pants that should fit you, and you can borrow a t-shirt. It's not water tribe garb, but it should get you back to Air Temple Island at least."

She tossed the clothes on to the bed, but Korra ignored them. Instead, she just stared at Asami in the morning sunlight. "You're so beautiful. Let's skip work and stay in bed all day."

Smiling indulgently, Asami rejoined her on the bed. "Would that be more or less conspicuous than you showing up to the construction site in an evening gown?"

"Probably less, but only just barely." She wondered if Asami was seriously considering her offer. They hadn't spoken at all last night about the fact that Korra was leaving in a few days, but in the light of day it was weighing heavily on her mind. "Come on, let's play hooky today. They don't really need me at the site, and if I let someone know that I'm taking the day off, I doubt they would question me."

Now she was certain that Asami was considering it, because she had that contemplative expression that she got whenever she was planning some kind of escape method. "I'll do it, but on two conditions," she said finally.

"Anything," said Korra, and she meant it.

Holding up one finger, Asami stated: "One, I need to drop by and talk to Lee first." She put up a second finger. "Two, we aren't going to spend all day in bed. We're going for a drive."

Pulling her over for a kiss, Korra said, "Sounds perfect."

Asami drove them to her construction site, where she got out and sought out her foreman. Korra was supposed to wait in the car, but she caught sight of Bolin walking down the road. "Bolin!" she yelled and hopped out of the vehicle.

"Hey," he said, clearly surprised to see her. "What are you doing here at Asami's construction site? And why are you wearing Asami's clothes?"

Getting out of the car was a stupid idea, thought Korra. "Bolin, I'm going to pretend you didn't ask me those questions."

"That sounds like a really good plan," agreed Bolin hastily. "Anyway, I'm on my way to my first practice session with Beifong. I'm ready to bend some metal!"

Korra smiled at his enthusiasm. "That's so exciting! I'm sure you'll do great. Don't let Beifong intimidate you too much. She tries to act all tough but I think she's really a big softie."

"I doubt that, but thanks for your vote of confidence. Aren't you supposed to be at the portal?"

"Asami and I are skipping out on our responsibilities today. I want to spend as much time with her as I possibly can before I have to leave."

"Aww," cooed Bolin. "That's so sweet."

"What's so sweet?" asked Asami, who had just finished with her foreman and come over to say hello to Bolin.

"Asami, I'm not sure if you know this, but I think Korra loves you," said Bolin.

"You think so?" asked Asami, sliding her arm around Korra's waist. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, she's even dressing like you now!" He laughed mischievously as he dodged a burst of air that Korra bent in his direction, and as he ran away down the street, he yelled out his parting shot: "Have fun today you two lovebirds!"

Next, they headed over to Air Temple Island so Korra could change. Pema offered to make them lunch and Asami gave her a hand while she waited for Korra. "Did you girls have fun last night?" she asked as she sliced carrot sticks to put in their basket.

Asami, who had been daydreaming about the amazing night of lovemaking she had just shared with Korra, nearly dropped the oranges she was carrying. "W-what?" she stammered.

Luckily, Pema's back was turned and she didn't seem to notice anything strange. "I asked if you two had fun last night with Mako and Bolin."

" _Oh_ ," said Asami. "Yeah, we had a great time. It's been way too long since the four of us went out like that." She sighed wistfully. "And it'll probably be a long time before it happens again."

"Life does have a way of getting away from us, doesn't it?" mused Pema. "Tenzin hates to be separated from the children, and yet he keeps finding himself being sent away."

"It must be hard for you to have to take care of them by yourself when he's gone."

"Well, it's easier now that Rohan is a little older. When he was a newborn, I was a little overwhelmed. Luckily Jinora is mature for her age. It's become easier to rely on her for help." She finished packing the basket and set it on the table near Asami. "I know I've said this before, but I really hope you'll come and visit us once Korra is gone. You can even stay here if you want."

"Thank you Pema. I think I'd like that."

Korra entered the kitchen, still straightening one of her wrist bands. She noticed the basket and said: "You made us lunch? Thanks Pema, you're the best!" She leaned down and kissed Pema on the cheek. "Ready to go?" she said to Asami.

"I'm ready."

Once back on the mainland, Asami drove them to the highway; clearly, she was intending to leave the city. "Where are you taking me?" asked Korra.

"It's a surprise," answered Asami with a mysterious smile. "I think you'll enjoy it."

"As long as you're with me, I'm sure I will."

Rolling her eyes, Asami said: "You're such a corn ball."

"Only for you, my darling Awesami."

The closer to the city limits they got, the less traffic there was, and soon they were driving along next to scarcely populated fields. The engine purred with hard work as their elevation increased, and Korra felt her ears pop. Wherever they were going was in the mountains somewhere. They made a left on to a dirt road that Korra wouldn't have even noticed if they hadn't done so.

"We're being followed," said Asami suddenly and without preamble.

Korra sat up straight in her seat. "What? How do you know?" She reached over and adjusted the side mirror closest to her so that she could see behind them. Sure enough, there was another vehicle following them. It was a boxier model than the sporty satomobile they were in, and its windows were tinted so dark that it was impossible to see who was inside.

"At first I wasn't sure, but after that last turn we just made there's no doubt about it. I'm taking you to my family's summer cabin. This stretch of land belongs to me. There's no reason that car should have made that turn."

"So what should we do?" asked Korra.

"I have an idea."

She accelerated the car, which didn't seem like a very wise idea to Korra. The road was barely paved with loose gravel and every bump made her feel like they were going to tip over at any moment. But Asami looked perfectly calm; she was in complete control of the vehicle. "Don't worry," she said over the engine and the crunching of gravel. "I've driven this road many times."

Up ahead there was a sharp U-turn, a switch-back designed to lessen the steepness of the road and prevent cars from skidding all the way down the mountain. They took the turn at such a high speed that Korra was certain that the outside wheels of the car had come off the road. Once they had completed the turn, Korra understood what Asami had in mind; they were now directly above their pursuers. Korra unbuckled her seatbelt and vaulted out of the moving car, invoking airbending to complete the maneuver safely. She used a technique she had learned on Air Temple Island passed down from Avatar Aang-she formed an air ball and balanced atop it, speeding down the mountainside towards the other car. From there, it was easy to launch herself up and on top of its roof. With a grunt, she bent a wall of earth in front of the car, just far enough away to force them to break in order to avoid a collision. Then she punched straight down and bent open the metal roof.

Inside were two men who were staring up at her with surprise in their eyes; clearly, they hadn't anticipated the Avatar suddenly tearing in to their car. She reached in and grabbed one of them by his hair. By this time, the car was stopped and she could hear Asami skidding her way down the mountainside towards them.

"Who are you? Why are you following us?" she demanded.

For answer, the man raised his arm and punched fire right in her face; she leaped backwards off the top of the car to avoid it. Once she was off the car he opened his door and followed her, intent on a fight. The second man got out of the driver's seat and bent the earth under the car to tip the entire thing over in her direction, but Korra blew a great gust of air that righted it and then tipped it even further back. Now the earthbender was in danger of being crushed by the vehicle and was forced to occupy himself with that immediate danger, so Korra went on the offensive to the firebender. She had learned that the best way to fight a firebender was from a distance, so she began to back up and simultaneously knocked him off his feet with another burst of air, forcing him back a few yards and putting significant space between them.

Swiveling around to check what the earthbender was doing, her heart sank to see that he was no longer standing near the car where she had last seen him. A split second later she realized he had gone for Asami. Asami was going toe-to-toe with him and she seemed to be doing fine, but Korra knew how fast a fight could go wrong and she wasn't about to risk Asami getting hurt. She ignored the firebender for a moment and instead sent a huge plume of fire at the earthbender, knocking him sideways where he landed just a few feet from his comrade.

The two men took a moment to regroup and Asami came to stand at Korra's side, balancing on the balls of her feet and ready to move at any moment. Korra wished Asami had worn her fancy Future Industries electricity glove, but she knew it was an irrational thought. There was no way they could have anticipated that they might be attacked today. "I'm giving you one more chance," said Korra angrily. "Tell me why you're following us."

The earthbender heaved mightily and the ground beneath them gave way; both women bounced away and went back on the attack. Asami ran towards the earthbender and at the last second, she dropped down and swept his legs out from under him. Good girl, thought Korra; the best way to fight an earthbender was to break his stance.

She wished there was some water nearby, but she couldn't sense any noteworthy amount so she went to her backup plan. Using a combination of earth and airbending, she showered the firebender with watermelon-sized boulders, but his partner brought up a rock shield for him and he hid behind it, which made Korra instantly uncomfortable. If she couldn't see the firebender, she felt certain that he was going to make a move on Asami. Thinking fast, she bent off the still-open passenger side door of the boxy car and threw it as hard as she possibly could at the rock shield. It shattered with a huge bang and the firebender went flying and landed with a thud on the ground, and this time he did not get back up.

But it had been too late. The firebender had already got a shot off at Asami. Fortunately, Asami too had anticipated it, and she ducked and rolled away. The result was that the fire intended for Asami hit the earthbender instead. While he was doubled over, Asami kicked out and her boot connected solidly with his solar plexus.

He was totally winded, but he managed to knock Asami over by sweeping her feet out, just as she had done to him. While Korra ran to check on her, he limped over his partner, who had just sat up. The two of them leaned on each other and finally, the earthbender spoke. He pointed at Korra and panted: "Stay out of our business, Avatar, we're warning you."

Korra was satisfied that Asami was not injured, so she listened with grim amusement. "Warning me? We just totally kicked your butts."

"You won't always be around to protect your little girlfriend," he replied with a sneer. "Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

Then they turned and ran back to their car, and Korra made a decision to let them go. There wasn't anything more to gain out of continuing to scuffle with them. A loud screech and a cloud of dust accompanied their retreat as they careened away back down the mountain.


	8. Money is Power

Korra watched as the boxy car disappeared down the mountain. Once it was gone, she turned back to Asami and said: "You okay?"

"I'm fine." Asami got up and dusted off her pants, then walked over to the car door that Korra had used to knock out the firebender. "I thought so. That was a Cabbage Corp car," she said, kneeling down to inspect it closer.

Korra joined her and looked at the part of the door that she was pointing to. Near the twisted joints where it had previously been welded to the rest of the vehicle, there was a Cabbage Corp logo. Just underneath it, there was a second logo that she didn't recognize. "What's that one?" she asked.

"Sen Incorporated."

"They built cars together?"

"No, they never did."

"But…" Korra gestured at the car door. "They did."

"The evidence is pretty overwhelming," admitted Asami. "As far as I know, Sen Inc and Cabbage Corp never worked together on anything, let alone something as lucrative as motor vehicles." They rose and Korra tucked the dislodged door under her arm after earthbending them a convenient staircase back up the mountainside to Asami's satomobile.

"I think I'm missing something because I'm not the owner of a huge corporation. Maybe you'd better start by explaining exactly who these two companies are."

"Sure," said Asami as Korra put the door in the back seat and un-bent the staircase. They climbed in to her satomobile and resumed their drive up the mountain. "Cabbage Corp was founded a really long time ago. People say the founder knew Avatar Aang but I don't know how much truth there is to that. Its CEO just before it was shut down was the founder's son, Lau Gan-Lan. He's a really old man."

"Have you met him?"

"Many times." Korra could tell from the expression on Asami's face that she didn't have a particularly high opinion of Lau Gan-Lan. "Most really wealthy people in Republic City have met one another, I think. I've seen Lau at a lot of the same functions and galas that my father and I used to attend. Of course, since Dad got sent to prison and I started hanging out with the Avatar and a couple of street rats, I haven't been making too many appearances at high society galas." This she said with a little smirk in Korra's direction.

"A worthy trade off, I hope," said Korra.

"Oh, I think I've gotten some pretty sweet benefits out of that trade." She reached over and squeezed Korra's hand briefly before a sharp turn made her return to the gear shift. "Anyway, Lau always had a tendency to get a little too drunk and make an embarrassment of himself. One year at some holiday party he 'accidentally' fell over and tried to cop a feel, but I pushed my chair back and he fell on the floor." She paused to laugh at the memory, and Korra laughed along with her. "I felt kind of bad about it, but really, he was a pretty disgusting old man."

Still smiling at the thought of Asami embarrassing an old pervert in front of all his rich and famous friends, Korra said, "So this Lau Gan-Lan guy is the worst, but what about Cabbage Corp? What did they do?"

"They were similar to Future Industries—in fact they were our biggest competitors before they got shut down. They made cars and air ships like the one we got captured in that one time, remember?"

"I remember. You said it had shoddy workmanship."

"A statement I stand by today. All Cabbage Corp ever made was junk. But their junk was a lot cheaper than what I could afford to sell my high-quality products for, so people would buy them. Of course, any smart consumer knows that a Future Industries product will last a lot longer so it's a better investment in the long term, even though the up-front cost is higher…"

"Asami," cut in Korra. "I'm not buying one of your satomobiles."

Asami laughed again, realizing that she had gotten off-track. "Sorry. The point is that Cabbage Corp made vehicles. Now, Sen Inc, that's a little different." She paused for a moment, considering how best to explain. "My dad was a shrewd businessman, but he really got his start because he was an inventor. He invented the satomobile, which was the first affordable mass-produced automobile. Soon after he started his first factory, it seemed that everyone was driving satomobiles, so Republic City had to accommodate for them by building a comprehensive infrastructure. And guess who they contracted to design it?"

"Future Industries," replied Korra, who was beginning to understand what Asami was saying.

"Bingo. Future Industries designed and constructed the streets of Republic City. Only five years after starting the company, Dad had diversified Future Industries so much that there is practically no part of the city that we didn't have a hand in.

"Sen Inc is an infrastructure conglomerate too, but they mostly design suburbs and rural areas," continued Asami. "Their CEO is a man named Ron Regent. They don't do a lot of work in Republic City because I buy up most of the contract bids there, and lots of times they couldn't afford them anyway. With all the recent work that needs to be done, however, they've been more active and aggressive in their bid-hunting. They've managed to snatch up some things that I wanted; for example, just the other day they took a bid for an overhead bypass near the portal that I was hoping to get."

"Do you think Sen Industries is going to become a bigger threat to Future Industries? If they're taking your bids in the city, doesn't that mean there won't be as many for you?"

"Yes and no," answered Asami. "The thing you have to understand is that Future Industries may not be building that overhead bypass, but we are the reason it's being built there in the first place. Our automobiles revolutionized the way we build cities today. There's nothing that Sen Inc can accomplish that will change that. Future Industries is pretty firm in its domination in the infrastructure construction area. We are the forerunners, and companies like Sen Inc can only hope to follow in our tracks. That's why I'm surprised to see that Cabbage Corp and Sen Inc worked together on an automobile. They really don't have anything to gain from that partnership. Cabbage Corp follows our lead in car design, just as Sen Inc does."

Korra processed this for a moment, and out of the corner of her eye, Asami could see a cute contemplative expression on her face. Finally, she sighed and said: "I guess I don't really understand what the whole point is. Why would anyone compete to rebuild Republic City? If your company really is the best company for the job like you say it is, then why would Sen Inc take your contract bids?"

They had been driving steadily through forest up the mountain for the past several minutes as they talked, and now they broke through the tree line to a serene, tranquil meadow where a rustic cabin sat in the late-morning sunlight. "Is that a serious question?" asked Asami as she parked the satomobile in front of the cabin and turned to look at Korra.

"Well, yeah," said Korra, appearing endearingly confused.

"Money, Korra," said Asami as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Future Industries, Sen Inc and Cabbage Corp may go about it differently, but all our goals are the same. We're trying to make money. The company that rebuilds Republic City stands to become extremely wealthy by doing so." She laughed at the bewildered expression on Korra's face, leaning over to kiss her. "I love you, Korra. You couldn't possibly understand because you are the least selfish person I've ever known. Come on, let me show you around."

Korra followed her out, still thinking about what Asami had said. Over the last four years, Korra had grown to understand many things about human nature. Every bad guy she'd ever faced had had various motivations for doing the things they did. Amon had been so power-hungry that he had tried to take power from everyone else. Unalaq had wanted power too, and had been willing to throw the world in to chaos to gain it. Zaheer had believed in anarchy, which in its core meant he wanted to tear down any power-related constructions. And Kuvira had wanted to turn the Earth Kingdom in to the Earth Empire, of which she would be the supreme ruler. Power. It had always been about power, and about how far people were willing to change the world around them in order to obtain it.

But Korra understood suddenly that there was another way to gain power, and it didn't require nearly as much work. All a person had to do was make money.

She followed Asami inside the cozy wooden building. The cabin had looked rustic and quaint from the outside, but the inside was as modern and lavish as she had come to expect from Asami. It was furnished with plush, expensive furniture and kept warm by a massive power generator out back. Korra looked around with awe. She was barely listening to what Asami said, but she was suddenly brought back out of her thoughts when Asami stepped up close to her and kissed her forehead. "What's going on up here?" she asked, smiling and brushing her hair back.

"You are so rich, Asami. I guess I never really thought about it before."

"Yes, I am," agreed Asami. "I know what you're thinking. You're realizing what people like my father and Lau Gan-Lan and Ron Regent have always known. Money is power, Korra, and people will do anything to gain it."

"Including you?" asked Korra hesitantly.

"I can't really answer that question for you, except to ask you to think back on all the things I've done for Future Industries since I took it over."

Korra remembered Asami going to the South Pole to ask Varrick to invest in her company. She had designed new air planes and needed him to give her the money to mass produce them. When Varrick had agreed, she had been overjoyed. Then she remembered that misguided time when Varrick had suggested selling mecha tanks to the water tribes in order to profit off their war. "You were going to sell weapons to the southern water tribe," said Korra.

"Yes," admitted Asami. "My company was going belly-up and I wanted to save it. It was Varrick's idea and I needed Varrick. But I wouldn't have done it if I didn't believe you supported the war. I hope you know me well enough to know that."

At that time, Korra _had_ supported the war. She had been so brash and stupid. They both had made mistakes. "I do," she said.

After that, Korra reflected, she'd only ever heard about Future Industries re-designing the roadways. The company seemed to be doing well again, but she didn't pretend to understand its profitability. "Do you still build mecha tanks?" Korra asked.

"No. I stopped that production line after Harmonic Convergence. The city contracted me to rebuild the streets, and it seemed like that was my destiny. My father changed the world with his automobiles, and you changed the world by bringing us the spirits. The two people I loved most both altered the structure of Republic City, and it seemed right and natural that I should do the same. So now, instead of tearing things down, Future Industries builds. Oh, and I've built a couple of luxury air ships," she added with a smile.

"But is your company turning a profit now?"

"Yes, we are. I won't pretend I don't want to make money, Korra, but you have to believe that it isn't my top priority any more. I want the contract bids in Republic City because I believe that I know exactly what is best for the city. My father taught me how to build roads for satomobiles, and you taught me how to respect and love the spirits. You've shown me what balance is, and even though I'm not the Avatar, I know I can help to maintain it. I would rebuild the city even if I was paying for it out of my own pocket."

Whenever Asami was passionate about something, she got a burning look that could only have been passed down from her ancestors in the Fire Nation. Korra had seen it the night before, when they were laying together and Asami had looked her right in the eye and told her that she would always love her. Korra had been certain that Asami was telling the truth then, and she was certain of it now. There in the cabin, she saw that look in Asami's eyes and she felt herself fall in love with this woman all over again.

"There she is," said Asami, watching Korra's hesitation melt away. "There's my girl."

"Here I am," responded Korra. "And there is mine." She reached up and rested her arms on Asami's shoulders, clasping her hands together behind Asami's neck. "I'm sorry for doubting you."

"It's alright, Korra. I understand. You're the Avatar. It's your job to make sure the right thing is being done for the right reasons."

"Well, I'm glad you are the one who is doing the right thing, because I'm not sure there's anyone else I trust to do it."

"There isn't anyone else," said Asami. "You're right not to trust people with money. Take it from me; money can have a way of changing people."

"It never changed you," said Korra.

"I was born in to my money. By the time I was offered a chance to abuse it, I had already met you, Mako and Bolin. When I found out my father was working with the Equalists, it didn't sit right with me because I knew I wanted to be on the same side as you guys. Before I met you, I'd never had genuine friends before. I'd never hung out with anyone like you."

"Like us? You mean poor people?" laughed Korra.

"I guess you could say that," said Asami. "But you were rich in ways I never could have dreamed of. You were loved unconditionally by so many people. I only had Dad, and then he betrayed me."

Korra stood on her toes to kiss her. "You're loved unconditionally now, Asami. You have Mako, and Bolin, and everyone on Air Temple Island. And you have me. I will never stop loving you."

As she felt Korra reach out and begin unbuttoning her shirt, Asami reflected on what Korra had just said. Everything she now had had been given to her by Korra. Even Future Industries was booming because Korra had brought work to the city. But the biggest thing she now possessed was a partnership with this amazing woman who didn't even think twice before giving her the world. "What did I ever do right to deserve you?" she asked between kisses.

"Is that a serious question?" was Korra's playful answer.


	9. Bending Theory

Chief Lin Beifong was having a much better day than she had anticipated. The two Ai brothers were some of the finest earthbenders she had ever had the pleasure of working with, and some of the best students she had ever taught. They had picked up metalbending within two hours of beginning their lesson. Now they were passing a ball of metallic ore back and forth between them in a basic exercise designed to increase their accuracy.

Her third student, the effervescent Bolin, wasn't doing as well. But she was pleased to see that he wasn't letting it get to him. He was completely covered in sweat as he concentrated as hard as he could on a ball of meteorite ore, the easiest metal to bend. Lin stood watching him, thinking about the first time she had ever bent metal.

From the moment she had been able to crawl, Lin had been able to earthbend. Despite everything that had happened between them later in life, earthbending lessons with her mother would always be some of Lin's favorite memories. At that age, she had admired her mother so much. She had seemed awesome, powerful and larger than life. Like so many other young earthbenders, Toph Beifong was her hero. Together they had trained and sparred, and Toph never went easy on her.

Eventually there had come a day where Toph had tied a bandana around her eyes. "I'm going to teach you how to wait and listen," she had said, and Lin, rather than protesting, had reached behind her and tightened the knot. If her mother could do it, she could do it. They were two rocks from the same boulder. Within a matter of weeks Lin was able to sense the world around her the way Toph could, using only the vibrations from the earth as a guide. Lin was only six years old.

Once she mastered that, Toph had set her in front of a large steel column. "Bend it," she had said simply, then stood there and waited.

Lin had set her stance wide and firm, the way she had been taught. She had taken a deep breath, and then pushed with all her might against the column.

And she had nearly broken her wrists. The column stood resolute, totally unbent. Again and again Lin had pushed until finally she had collapsed to the ground, completely exhausted. Wordlessly, her mother had turned and begun walking home, and Lin had followed dejectedly.

The next day, they went back. Toph put her hands on Lin's shoulders and directed her to stand in front of the massive steel monolith. It had seemed even thicker than it had the day before. With a gentle kick to the insides of her feet, Toph had forced her down to a wide stance. Then, to Lin's surprise, she had tied the bandana around her eyes. " _Bend it_ ," Toph had said again, and Lin felt her hands leave her shoulders. She was once again on her own.

Bend it, Lin had thought. Bend the metal. Being an earthbender was already ingrained in to Lin's personality. It was the thing she loved most in the entire world. Bend the metal. _Earthbend_ the metal.

She breathed in. She breathed out. She widened her stance. Then she struck out at the pillar, hitting it as hard as she could with the back of her hands. She was Lin Beifong, the daughter of the greatest earthbender to ever live. They were two rocks from the same boulder. Concentrating on the metal, she widened her stance even further and strengthened her will. Bend the metal. Bend the metal. She narrowed her entire focus on the pillar, striking it again with the back of her hands. On the third strike, she felt it.

There was earth in that metal.

Her fourth strike put a tiny dent in the pillar. The fifth made it bigger. The sixth bent the entire thing in to a right angle.

Her mother had laughed and swept her up in to her arms. "Lin," she had said, "you rule."

In the practice courtyard of the Republic City Metalbending Police Force, Lin watched as Bolin struggled to bend the simplest of metals and suddenly felt determined that this boy should learn to metalbend. At the very least, she thought, it would give her something to hold over her sister Suyin's head. "Bolin," she said, and he looked up at her. "Give it a rest. I have another idea. You two come too," she added to the Ai brothers. Once they had joined her, she grabbed some bandages from a first aid kit kept in the courtyard. One by one, she went to each boy and wrapped the cloth around their heads, concealing their eyes.

"What are you doing?" asked Bolin.

"I'm going to teach you how to wait and listen," replied Lin.

Several hours later, three freshly showered young men left the RCPD training yard. "Wanna grab some grub?" suggested Bolin. "I'm starving."

The two Ai brothers glanced at one another, communicating wordlessly. "Sure," said Haku. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well, I don't have a lot of money like you guys, so I like to eat cheap. There's a really great water tribe restaurant just around the corner, want to go there?"

"That sounds good," said Genly. "It's been a long time since we've had water tribe food."

"Well this place is the best, and I'm not just saying that. It's Avatar-approved. Korra loves it."

"You and the Avatar are good friends, right?" asked Haku.

"Yeah," said Bolin as they entered the restaurant and found a seat. "We go way back. We've saved the world together like a hundred times or something."

"News of the Avatar's great deeds travels all around the world," said Genly, "but some of the things we hear seem so far-fetched. Is it true that she lost her bending at one point?"

Bolin nodded. "It's true. Well, it's semi-true. She lost everything but airbending because Amon took it from her. Obviously, she managed to get it back." A waiter came by and took their orders. When he had gone, Bolin said, "Chief Beifong lost her bending too, but Korra restored it."

"Thank goodness," said Haku, who had become much less shy over the course of the day. "She's an amazing earthbender."

"You guys aren't so bad yourselves," commented Bolin. "You picked up metalbending right away, and you're farther along with seismic sensing than I am too."

Genly inclined his head in humble thanks. "That's kind of you to say. Haku and I have worked hard to become the best benders we can be."

"It's also cool that you guys stick together. My brother and I are like that too, except that we've gone our separate ways." He paused, realizing the inherent flaw in that statement. "I mean, we have each other's backs when the really bad stuff happens."

"Isn't your brother Mako a firebender?" asked Genly.

"Yeah. Our dad was an earthbender and our mom was a firebender. That's why we got different bending abilities."

"So here's another tall tale we've heard in Ba Sing Se," said Haku. "Is it true that you can bend lava?"

Puffing up with pride, Bolin said: "You bet your behind it's true. I may not be able to bend metal but I think lava ain't so bad, huh?"

"Not bad at all," agreed Haku. "That's very impressive. Have you ever considered the possibly that your mixed parentage contributed to that ability for you?"

Clearly, Bolin had not considered it. He sat with his mouth hanging open as the waiter delivered their bowls of seaweed noodles. "Huh," he said finally. "How about that?"

"If you study bending throughout history, you can see that it is constantly changing, growing and evolving." Haku's eyes were alight with intelligent enthusiasm. This was obviously a subject he was very interested in. "According to Avatar Aang, there was energybending before humans learned to bend the elements. Once humans began to bend elements, there was the Avatar. From there, humans have learned to bend all sorts of things. Metal, lightning, lava, and even blood. With more families becoming multi-elemental, who knows what we will be able to bend next?" He took a moment to slurp his noodles; it was the least dignified thing Bolin had seen him do yet. "If only we understood more about bending, maybe we could become even more prolific. We know the original benders—the air bison, the badger moles, the dragons and the moon, but those are only the first benders. It doesn't actually tell us where bending itself comes from."

"It comes from the lion turtles," said Bolin flippantly, his mouth rudely full of noodles.

Haku dropped his chopsticks, one of them rolling off the table to the floor. Genly sat stunned with a noodle hanging down his chin in what was the least dignified thing Bolin had seen _him_ do.

"What?" stuttered Genly. "What makes you say that?"

"A couple of years ago, Korra lost her memory and when she got it back she saw the story of the first Avatar. She said the lion turtles gave humans their bending." Bolin continued eating, completely oblivious to the fact that both Ai brothers were staring at him.

Eventually, Genly gave a little chuckle and shook his head. "We will have much to talk about with the Avatar in Ba Sing Se."

Remembering Korra's speculation about Genly's sexual orientation, Bolin was privately inclined to agree. He wondered if Genly had ever spoken to Haku about it. "You guys will love her," he said. "Everyone loves her."

"I didn't know that she was in a relationship. How long has she been seeing Miss Sato?" said Genly while trying not to look too interested in the answer.

"You know, that is an excellent and valid question and I really have no idea what the answer is," said Bolin. "We've all been friends for years, but I don't know when that actually happened. At the shortest, it's been a week. At the longest, it's been like three years. All I know is, they went to the spirit world on vacation after we beat Kuvira and didn't tell anyone they were going, and after they came back I caught them making out on top of a building."

"That's embarrassing," said Genly.

Bolin waved the comment away. "They barely seemed to care. In fact they must not have cared because I caught them making out again last night, right before we went to dinner."

"They didn't seem to care?" repeated Haku. "How could they not care? They're both girls." He glanced over at his brother, and Bolin got the impression that Haku did, indeed, seem to know about his brother.

"Well I guess that kind of thing just isn't a big deal here in Republic City. We're kind of live and let live, love and let love around here."

"It's not like that in Gethen," said Genly with a gloomy expression. "Until I went to Ba Sing Se University, I never even realized that there were other people who…" He paused, as if suddenly noticing what he was saying. "Anyway, it's different."

Bolin's heart went out to the guy. He looked so sad. "Maybe things will change when the government changes," said Bolin in an attempt to cheer him up. "And I bet Korra won't beat around the bush about it. People will at least start talking about it, right?"

"Maybe," said Genly. "But maybe not. Gethen is a state that is rooted in tradition, and the plan for the new split-power government is to allow for each state to maintain its traditions. The Earth Republic is large and diverse. Each state is unique and individual in its own way. Pachi, for example, has a history of being the first state to accept and enact radical change. They allowed the immigration of firebenders only five years after the end of the One Hundred Year War."

"Wow," said Bolin, genuinely impressed. Everyone learned in school about the war that Avatar Aang ended, and his understanding was that there was great resentment towards the Fire Nation for a solid twenty years after the end of the war. To allow firebenders in their borders after only five years was a solid indicator that Pachi must be a very accepting place.

"A family from Pachi might be more willing to accept a relationship such as the one between Avatar Korra and Asami Sato, but in Gethen, such things are unwelcome."

"Why don't you just move, then?" asked Bolin. At this point in the conversation, it seemed silly to pretend that he didn't know exactly why Genly was talking about this subject.

"Would you move away from Republic City if your family was here?" responded Genly.

"I did leave Republic City," countered Bolin. "Both my brother and I did. We came back, but it was only because Korra needed us."

"Haku needs me," said Genly.

"Genly, I've told you that I would be fine if you left," said Haku.

"I won't do that," said Genly angrily. "You and I set off down this path together because we have a dream for Gethen and for the Earth Republic. We are going to create a government that works for everyone, not just for the wealthy."

Bolin grinned at him. "It sounds to me like you've got some fight in you. Why not use this upcoming opportunity to change things in Gethen? You don't have to choose between your family and your happiness. Why not try for both?"

"There, see? Even Bolin can see it. Why can't you?" Haku slapped his older brother on the back. "For such an optimist, Genly, you sure do have a tendency to get down in the dumps."

They finished their meal and headed back in to the afternoon sunlight. Overhead, Bolin spotted Opal on her air bison. He had told her to meet him outside the police station after lunch. The Ai brothers stood watching as the bison landed and Opal jumped off. "Hey sweetie," said Bolin with a smile as he kissed her hello. "Let me introduce the emissaries from the Earth Republic, Genly and Haku Ai. Guys, this is my girlfriend Opal."

"Nice to meet you," said Opal politely, and the brothers echoed the sentiment. "Have you been enjoying your stay in Republic City?"

"We have," said Genly. "We haven't had a chance to see very much, but have met some very wonderful people, including Bolin here."

"If you're not busy for the rest of the afternoon, I could take you guys around on Juicy here," she offered, gesturing to her air bison companion.

"Yeah!" agreed Bolin enthusiastically. "We could show you all the really cool stuff here. Of course the city is kind of a little destroyed right now, but you'll get to see all the neat construction going on."

"Actually," said Haku, "I'd love to go check out the spirit portal, if you don't mind."

"Let's do it!" said Opal, and they all got on to Juicy's saddle and took to the skies.

Haku sat near the front so that he could talk to Opal, who was perched just behind Juicy's head. "So, Opal, I can't help noticing that you're an airbender," he began.

"Yes I am," confirmed Opal. "I was granted airbending when Korra left the spirit portals open during Harmonic Convergence."

"Harmonic Convergence unlocked so many airbenders overnight. I study bending theory and I was wondering if you would mind if I asked you some questions about that?"

"Not at all," said Opal, her tone friendly and warm. "What would you like to know?"

"Do you have any idea why you were one of the ones who became an airbender?" asked Haku.

"I've thought about that before, but I can't think of any reason. My entire family are earthbenders."

From the back, Bolin chimed in: "She's a Beifong."

"I see," said Haku. "So they're not just earthbenders, but metalbenders as well."

"Well, I'm no earthbender, but my understanding is that earthbending and metalbending are essentially the same thing," said Opal.

"That's correct," said Haku. "Metal is just highly refined earth. An earthbender can find the earth in the metal, and that is what we bend."

"But what does that have to do with Opal being an airbender?" asked Bolin, who was following the conversation with interest.

"Possibly nothing," Haku answered. "But also possibly _something_. Earth and Air are directly opposite from each other. Many Avatars have had trouble mastering the element that is opposite to their 'home' element."

Opal considered this. "So you're saying that I'm the opposite of my family?"

"Do you think you are?"

With a shrug, Opal said: "I don't know." Haku could see that she was still thinking about the question so he kept silent, sure that she would speak again. A moment later, she did. "When I was growing up I always wished I had been born a bender. I'm from Zaofu, which as I'm sure you know is a very metalbending-centric town. All of my brothers can earthbend, but I couldn't. I tried not to let it bother me though, and eventually I came to terms with it. I figured that things happen for a reason, so I would just have to walk my path and see where it took me. And then one day, I could airbend. I didn't do anything to get it, it just happened."

"Your story is a common one," said Haku. "Most new airbenders I've talked to were non-benders born in to a bending family."

"Like Tenzin's brother Bumi," commented Bolin. "He wasn't a bender even though his dad was the ultimate bender."

"Precisely. But there's something else that I've heard from almost every new airbender I've spoken to: These non-benders who suddenly gained airbending had made peace with their inability to bend. They were content to live a life without bending," explained Haku.

"So what does that mean?" asked Opal.

"Well, I can only speculate of course, but it seems to me that airbending came to people who possessed a certain set of qualities. Those who had the attitude of an airbender had the _aptitude_ for airbending."

"What attitude?" said Bolin.

To his surprise, it was Opal who answered. "Be the leaf," she said slowly, as if she was having an epiphany.

"Huh?" Bolin was thoroughly confused. "What leaf?"

"It's something that Tenzin says to teach airbending. If you picture a leaf that has been caught up by the wind, that is the movement that you emulate when you airbend. You have to learn to go with the air, to move among it. It's what makes airbenders so light on their feet."

Seeing that Bolin was still confused, Genly added: "It's comparable to the earthbending philosophy that a good earthbender is strong-willed and sturdy, like a rock."

"Ohhh," said Bolin with dawning understanding. "Now I get it."

"Would you say you've always 'been the leaf,' Opal?" asked Haku.

"You know, I guess I have. I've certainly never been strong-willed and sturdy like an earthbender," said Opal with a self-deprecating chuckle.

"Aw, don't sell yourself short. You may not be an earthbender, but you're still a Beifong woman," said Bolin, and they all laughed.

The spirit portal was alive with activity, the ground crawling with men, women, mecha suits, and spirits. Opal landed Juicy near the portal and they got off. Together, the four of them walked up to the portal and the Ai brothers stared at it in awe.

"I knew it was big," said Genly, "but I guess I just didn't imagine it being this big."

"That's what she said," quipped Bolin, and Opal elbowed him in the side. "Sorry. Couldn't help myself."

The Ai brothers didn't seem to notice. Haku had walked around to the other side, and Genly was still craning his neck up at the beam that shot endlessly in to the sky. "Amazing," said Haku when he returned. "Absolutely amazing. The other two portals at the north and south pole, do they look like this as well?"

"Yes," answered Bolin. "And they look the same from the other side, in the spirit world."

"You've been there?" asked Haku with surprise.

"Of course! Friends with the Avatar, remember? Mako and I both went there. We saw lots of stuff, but mostly a big battle between Raava and Vaatu."

"The spirits of Light and Dark? But why? How?" Haku's eyes were wide and he seemed to be unable to settle on one question.

"Uh," said Opal, "I think you broke him, Bolin."

Seeming to understand how confused they were, Haku explained: "I'm sorry, but this is my life's work. Ever since I was a boy I've been studying bending, the Avatar and the spirits." He looked around at the crater, which was partially paved with smooth rock but was still mostly covered in spirit vines. "Part of me feels like I should stay here in Republic City," he admitted. "Ba Sing Se University is a great place to learn theory, but Republic City has become the spiritual capitol of the world."

"You could stay," said Genly. "There are plenty of other people in Gethen who could come take your place during the convention."

Haku considered this for a long moment, but finally he sighed and shook his head. "No, I believe that the convention in Ba Sing Se is every bit as important as the spiritual awakening that has happened here. Besides, the Avatar is coming to Ba Sing Se, and she will know all the answers to the many questions I've had since coming here."

"She will," said Bolin. "I only know what I saw, but she knows exactly what actually happened."

"And Republic City will still be here after your work in Ba Sing Se is done," added Opal. "You're always welcome to stay on Air Temple Island, I'm sure Tenzin wouldn't mind."

"Thank you," said Haku, bowing graciously. "I do believe I may take you up on that offer in the future."


	10. Asami's Summer Cabin

"Are you sleeping?" asked Asami quietly in case the answer was yes.

"No," answered Korra. They were laying on the bed in what was Asami's bedroom in the cabin, her home away from home. Korra's head was resting comfortably on Asami's shoulder, and they hadn't spoken in quite some time, instead just floating in the warm, happy haze that had descended over them.

"I've been thinking about that car," said Asami.

"You have? I didn't give you enough to think about for the last two hours?"

Asami laughed. "Korra, when we're making love, I can't think about anything but you. But just now when I was remembering how hot you looked when you were intimidating those guys, I had a thought about the car."

"Alright," said Korra. "Let's hear it."

"Did you notice anything about it when it was driving away?"

Korra really didn't know the first thing about cars. In an attempt to not sound like a total idiot, she said: "Um, it went really fast?"

"That's right. It went really fast."

Propping herself up to look at Asami, Korra's blue eyes reflected her skepticism. "Are you teasing me?"

"No, not at all. The driver of that car did a really impressive thing on that road. He swiveled the car around very fast and took off down the mountain. I'm not even sure I could have pulled off that move in my satomobile. That road is unpaved and it's on a steep incline, but he drove off like it was nothing."

"Well maybe he's just a really good driver," suggested Korra.

"Not to sound conceited, but I doubt that guy is a better driver than I am. No, I think he was able to do it because of something about that car. Did you notice the way it was shaped?"

"Yeah, I thought it looked like a box."

"It did, kind of. I suspect that vehicle was a lot heavier than one of my satomobiles, and I bet if we were to measure the tire tracks, they would be much wider than my tires. Before we head back to Republic City, I'd like to test that theory."

"Sure," agreed Korra. "But I don't see what you're getting at."

"If Cabbage Corp and Sen Industries really did work together on that car, then they're building pretty interesting cars. Satomobiles work great in cities because the cities were designed for them, but the car those guys were driving seemed perfectly suited for driving on more rugged terrains," explained Asami. "That's a market that Future Industries has no part of. I'm not sure there's ever even been a market for that kind of vehicle. It's a new idea."

Korra considered this. "So what does that mean? Will they steal business from you?"

"It's certainly a possibility. But it's not a crime to compete in an open market, so why were they acting like criminals? Why follow us up the mountain? Why attack instead of talking?"

"Why threaten us?" added Korra, thinking of the earthbender's sneer as he had issued his 'warning' about Asami's safety. "Listen, Asami, about that. I want you to promise me you'll be careful. I don't care if guys like that attack me all the time, but that guy specifically said he would go after you, and that's a risk I'm not willing to take. I know you can fight and take care of yourself, but just promise me you'll bring your glove with you wherever you go. A bender always has a weapon with them, so you should too."

Asami nodded, reaching out to hold Korra's hand. "Alright, I promise. I'll keep the glove with me, just in case."

"Thank you. It will make me sleep better when I'm all alone in Ba Sing Se."

"You won't be alone," said Asami, partially to make Korra feel better but also to feel better herself. She couldn't stand the thought of Korra being lonely. "You'll have Mako there, too."

"Yeah," agreed Korra, "but it's not the same." She leaned down to place a soft kiss on Asami's lips. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"I'll miss you, too. But it won't be like last time, right?" asked Asami hesitantly.

"No, absolutely not. This time I'm going to call you every day, and we can write each other letters, too. And you'll visit, right?"

"Every chance I get," confirmed Asami.

"Good. I have a feeling I'm going to have a lot I'll have to get off my chest, and you're the only person I feel like I can really talk to."

Asami smiled at her. "You can tell me anything. I want to know everything that's going on up here." She kissed Korra's forehead.

"It's always been that way," said Korra. "When I wrote to you from the South Pole, I knew you would listen without judging."

"The way I see it," said Asami, "you're the only Avatar in the world right now, so if there's something going on with you, there's no way anyone else could understand. But at least I can be there to help you figure it out."

"You have been there for me, Asami. Even when I didn't let you in you always wanted to help. This time, and every other time from now on, I'm letting you in. I need you."

It was the one thing that Asami had been hoping to hear from Korra. When Korra had blocked her out after her confrontation with Zaheer, it had broken her heart. By that time, she had already come to terms with her feelings for Korra, and the rejection of her support had hurt deeply. On top of that particular hurt, she had ached for her friend's pain. In a very real way, Korra's darkest time had been Asami's darkest, too. She reached up to put her arms around Korra's shoulders and buried her face in Korra's neck.

Korra felt the wetness of tears against her skin. "Hey, no crying," she said, raising a finger to brush off the salty trail.

"Happy tears," Asami assured her. "You can't imagine how wonderful it feels to hear that. For years now, all I've wanted is to be close to you, Korra."

"Well you're more than close to me now. You're a part of me. You're in here." She took Asami's hand and placed it over her heart, and then she gently kissed away another tear. "And I want you to know that you can always count on me to be there for you, too, okay?"

"Okay," said Asami. "I like the sound of that."

Hunger eventually roused them out of bed, and they sat on the back deck eating the lunch that Pema had prepared for them. As she ate, Asami inspected the car door they had taken from the box-like car. "Anything interesting?" asked Korra.

Asami shook her head with disappointment. "Not really. I can tell it's made out of high-quality metal though. Was it easy to bend?"

"Yes," said Korra. "The roof was, too, although that isn't necessarily a good indicator. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a very talented bender."

"You know, I did actually notice that." She turned the car door around and around, inspecting it from every angle. "Well, I'll have to take it in to the lab to get a closer look."

"No offense, but what could you possibly learn from one car door?"

"Not much," admitted Asami. "But maybe I can figure out what region the steel came from. Sen Inc tends to get its steel from various mines in the United Republic territories, but Cabbage Corp goes through Ba Sing Se. There are some purity tests we can do in the workshop that will tell us how refined the metal is, then we can ascertain what altitude its natural rock components were from by how aerated the minerals are." She looked over at Korra, who was giving her a bewildered stare. "What?"

"Asami, you're really smart," said Korra.

"Anyone would be able to that," replied Asami modestly. "It's just basic geology."

"I wouldn't be able to do it, and I bend basic geology on a daily basis."

"Well, I studied it a bit in university. If you're going to be laying brick roads, it's a good idea to know what kind of stones to use." But now an interesting idea was bouncing around her head. "Actually maybe you would be able to figure it out. Metalbending is just earthbending in disguise, right?"

Korra nodded. "Yeah, pretty much."

Hefting the car door up on to the table, Asami suggested, "Why don't you take a look? Is there a lot of earth in it?"

Putting down the orange she had been peeling, Korra placed her hand on the metal and concentrated. She could feel that there was earth, but there didn't seem to be very much of it. As an experiment, she closed her fingers and bent the door. The result was five tiny dents in the steel. "It seems decently pure. I've definitely bent metal with a lot more earth in it than this. But it's still pretty easy to bend."

"Then it's probably easy because you're a good bender. Do you ever have trouble bending any metals?"

"Not recently, no." Korra thought back to when she had first learned to metalbend. "But at first, yes. I suppose the skill just grew over time, like my airbending. So you're probably right. Lin might be a better person to ask than me."

"We should probably tell her about the attack anyway." Asami took the door off the table and accepted half of the orange that Korra had just finished peeling.

"I agree. I have a theory that the people who attacked us have to do with that factory we looked at last night."

Asami had completely forgotten about that incident. It had been totally overshadowed by the night she and Korra had shared afterwards. "Wow, I can't believe I didn't think of that," said Asami with a laugh. "Shows how smart I am."

"Don't feel bad. Not everyone can be as naturally amazing as me."

"And so modest, too."

"Aren't I just?"

They left the cabin and took a walk around the mountainside. The altitude made the air much cooler than it was back in Republic City, so the weather was perfect. "I love it up here," said Asami. "My parents and I used to come up here every summer, but after Mom was killed Dad stopped coming with me. He always said it was too painful. But once I learned how to drive I started making it a point to come every year." She looked around at the familiar scenery, feeling a sense of peace. "I never felt like it was a bad thing to remember Mom up here. We had some great times those summers."

"What was your mother like?" asked Korra.

"Well, I was only six when she died, so I don't really remember very much about her. I remember thinking she was so tall."

"Just like you," teased Korra, bumping shoulders with Asami.

"Just like me," agreed Asami. "She was taller than Dad, which might be why I don't mind that I ended up with someone shorter than me."

Korra casually used earthbending to level a rocky portion of the path, allowing them to continue walking with ease. They followed a curve in the path and Korra could sense that there was a large body of water nearby. "What else do you remember about her?"

"She was very smart," said Asami. "Dad may have been the one who created the satomobile, but Mom created Future Industries. She helped him get it off the ground. People loved her because she was beautiful and she had a way with words; because of her, Future Industries found plenty of investors to get the company up and running. I can still remember the two of them entertaining important-looking men in our parlor, Dad explaining his satomobiles and Mom explaining their business plan."

"That makes perfect sense," said Korra. "You got the best of both of them. You invent, and you run the business." Asami looked at her and smiled.

"You know, I've never thought about it like that before." Then the smile disappeared and she looked off down the mountain. "Maybe if Mom had lived, I would have been able to keep the business afloat after Dad got arrested."

"But if your mom had lived, your dad would never have been arrested in the first place. He wouldn't have worked with the Equalists, and you and I might never have met."

"Maybe," said Asami. She sighed heavily. "We spend too much time thinking about what it might have been like if things had happened differently. I wish that I hadn't lost my parents, but I'm glad that I have you now, and that's all that matters."

Korra knew she was referring to their conversation the night before in front of the restaurant, and about the fact that Korra still felt guilty about her three-year absence. In the long term, the death of Asami's parents was a much bigger deal than what Korra had done. Finally, Korra decided it was time to let that guilt go and move on. "You're right," she said. "We have to stop wasting so much energy on regret and spend it on more fun stuff instead. Fun stuff like this!" Then she scooped Asami up in to her arms and jumped off a nearby cliff. Her waterbending senses had been correct; the two of them landed with a huge splash in to an icy cold mountain lake.

After a moment, Asami's head came above the water, her hair plastered to her head. She looked absolutely furious. "Korra, I don't think we should see each other anymore," she said, her teeth chattering with cold.

Korra laughed loudly, the sound echoing around their empty wilderness surroundings. "Are you sure?" She swam over and took Asami in her arms. "Is it because you're cold? I'm a firebender, Asami. I can fix that."

When Korra kissed her, Asami was pretty sure she would have been warmed up even if Korra hadn't been able to bend fire.

Later, after they had stopped splashing around in the lake and Korra had bent the water off them, they headed back to the cabin with the intention of going back to Republic City before dinner. They wanted to eat dinner at Air Temple Island before returning to Asami's mansion for the night, and they also needed enough time to stop in and report their earlier incident to Lin Beifong. "Thank you for bringing me here, Asami," said Korra as they reached the cabin.

"You're welcome. Hopefully this is just the first time of many. This is a family place, and you are my family."

"You're mine, too. I love you."

"I love you, too. But if you ever throw me in that lake again, it's over between us."

"Oh Asami," said Korra with a devious smile. "I wish I could promise you I'd never do that again, but I only make promises I intend to keep."

On their way back down the mountain, they made a brief pit stop at the scene of their earlier fight with the two benders. Asami got out and crouched near the tire tracks the pursuing vehicle had left behind. "Definitely wider," confirmed Asami. "And I can tell from the depth that the car was heavier."

"You totally called it, Miss Smarty Pants Sato."

Asami gave a little bow. "Thank you. I do know a thing or two about cars." They got back in her satomobile and resumed their drive home. "So we know Cabbage Corp and Sen Inc worked together on a car that is intended for rough terrain driving. Assuming that you're right and the two guys are somehow related to that factory we saw last night, then they obviously don't want us butting in to their business there, and they're vehement enough about it to follow us up the mountain and attack us."

"Technically," said Korra, "I attacked them first."

"Yeah, but you felt threatened because they were following us up a remote, uninhabited part of the mountain. If you want to get technical, they were actually trespassing on my property."

"Still, I'm not sure that gives me the right to suddenly beat up on them. Don't get me wrong, I'm not sorry I did it, but I'm just trying to look at things the way Lin will see them."

Daytime construction activities were drawing to a close by the time they returned to Republic City. Asami took a route to the police station that would take them right past the construction site where she had visited her foreman Lee before they had left. She slowed down and peered at it with a critical eye. "Looks good," she finally decided, giving the car more gas and continuing on her way.

"We have time to stop if you want," said Korra.

"It's not necessary. Lee is good at what he does, I trust him to get it done without me being there."

They pulled up in front of the station and Korra grabbed the car door from the back seat. Outside Lin's office, there were police officers milling around and chatting—true to what Mako had said in city hall, they didn't seem particularly busy. Korra raised her hand and rapped on Lin's door.

"Come in," called Lin, and Korra and Asami entered her office. Lin barely glanced at them when they entered, instead taking a moment to finish whatever she was writing. Finally, she looked up. "I think those things tend to work better when you leave them with the rest of the car," she said dryly, gesturing at the car door.

"It's not ours," said Korra.

"Well then you two are the worst car thieves I've ever met. You're supposed to take the entire thing."

"Ha ha," said Korra sarcastically. "Are you going to let us tell you what happened, or do we have to stand here and listen to you crack jokes all evening?"

"Take a seat," replied Lin, gesturing to two uncomfortable-looking chairs in front of her desk. They sat and Korra told her their story, starting with the factory they had investigated the night before and ending with the logos imprinted on the car door. Lin instructed them to lay the door on her desk, and she leaned over to inspect it. "You two would make terrible detectives," she finally commented, pushing the door away.

"What?" asked Korra with surprise. "What do you mean?"

"This isn't a Cabbage Corp logo. It's a _Cah-bage_ Corp logo," said Lin, rhyming the word 'Cah-bage' with the word 'mirage.'

Korra and Asami stared at her as if she had suddenly grown a second head.

"Cabbage Corp doesn't exist anymore, you're right about that," explained Lin. "But the RCPD released Lau Gan-Lan over two years ago because we determined that he had never actually intended to work with the Equalists. He had been tricked in to it by Amon's lieutenant. Since he was an unknowing victim, we lightened his sentence a great deal. After he got out, he formed a new company and called it Cah-bage Corp."

"But why didn't I ever hear about this?" said Asami. "How could I have competition I didn't even know about?"

"And Mako didn't know about it either," added Korra. "He would have mentioned it last night."

"It's not my fault you guys bury your heads in Republic City's sand," snapped Lin. "Cah-bage Corp is based in Ba Sing Se. We've been keeping tabs on Gan-Lan as part of his parole agreement."

Both young women sat and tried to process this information. "Well," Asami finally said, "I guess that about covers it. If Cah-bage Corp is a legitimate company, then they really aren't doing anything wrong."

"Great," said Lin, standing and gesturing to the door. "So you can take this thing off my desk and get out of here."

"You go, Asami," said Korra. "I'll catch up."

She watched Asami's green eyes move from her to Lin, but she didn't try to fight with Korra about it. She took the car door and left the office.

After she had gone, Korra turned to Lin. "Look, Chief, even if this really is just healthy capitalist competition it doesn't change the fact that those two guys threatened to hurt Asami. I'm leaving for Ba Sing Se in five days and I won't be around to look after her. I need to know that you're going to be keeping an eye out for anything having to do with her, Cabbage Corp, _Cah-bage_ Corp or Sen Inc. If I can't be there to protect her, then at least I know that you're aware of what's going on."

"Sure, Korra. The RCPD will keep its eye out," said Lin.

"I don't care about the RCPD," said Korra. "I trust _you_ , Chief. After everything we've been through, I'm asking you to do this as an honorary member of Team Avatar."

Despite herself, Lin was flattered. She had no idea why it should matter to her that Korra trusted her, but it did. She remembered a story her mother had once told her about her adventures with Avatar Aang. Her mother believed it was possible that friendships could last more than a lifetime. Well, thought Lin, maybe it could be passed down through generations, too. Reaching out, she clasped hands with Korra. "Alright, kid," she said. "I'll watch out for your girlfriend for you."

"Thank you," was Korra's sincere answer. She turned to leave, but remembered something else. "Oh yeah, by the way, do you think you could have metalbent that door?"

This time, Lin was the one giving _her_ a bewildered look. "No, of course not," she said. "There wasn't any earth in it. I assumed you used firebending to melt it off the car."

"You're not serious, right?" But Korra could see that Lin was. "I felt plenty of earth in it. I metalbent it right off."

"I guess maybe you're just a better metalbender than I am," said Lin.

"I don't know. Maybe," said Korra. "I gotta get going though. Thanks again, Chief."

She turned and left the office, leaving Lin standing behind her desk, deep in thought.


	11. Korra's Last Night in Town

Just fifteen more hours, thought Korra. In only fifteen hours, she would be on an airship headed to Ba Sing Se. She was standing on Asami's speedboat, looking at the woman she loved. The wind was blowing Asami's hair all around as she piloted the boat away from Air Temple Island, where they had just had dinner and Korra had exchanged goodbyes with Tenzin's family. The kids had hugged her and Ikki had cried, and Korra had cried a little, too. She loved those kids, and she loved Pema, who had held her in a motherly embrace and assured her that she would look after Asami for her. So many people had told her they would take care of Asami, and while she was grateful, she felt saddened that she couldn't be there to do it herself.

Luckily, Asami probably wouldn't need very much care-taking. Asami was the most independent and confident person she'd ever met. It was one of the things she loved most about her. Even standing there on the speedboat with her hands on the wheel, she was completely calm, cool, and in control. Walking slowly to keep her balance, she wrapped her arms around Asami from behind and felt her lover lean back in to the embrace.

"Are you sad?" asked Asami, taking a hand off the wheel to lay it over one of Korra's.

"Yes," said Korra. "I hate saying goodbye to people."

"I know. I wish I could do more to help."

"You helped just by being there with me."

"As if I could have been anywhere else," said Asami.

For the last five days they had been practically inseparable. There were eight hours in every day where they both had obligations elsewhere, but otherwise they had been together the entire time. Each morning Asami took her to city hall where Korra talked with many people about the upcoming convention, and Asami went to work at various places in the city where her company was doing construction. Then, once the work day had ended, Asami would pick Korra up and they would have dinner at Air Temple Island before returning to Asami's mansion to spend the night.

It had been idyllic. It was a life Korra could picture herself living indefinitely. Asami was her lover, her best friend, and her partner. Every part of her life felt better and more meaningful because Asami was a part of it. Just as she had felt as they neared the end of their spirit world vacation, Korra was having difficulty imagining how she would be able to function without Asami at her side.

Korra couldn't help but wonder if Asami was feeling the same way. It was obvious that Asami loved her, but was she picturing the future the way Korra was? Was she planning her life around Korra the way Korra was for her?

They docked the boat and entered the city, trading the speedboat for a satomobile at Asami's factory. From there, they drove to Bolin's apartment, where they were planning to spend some time with him and Opal before heading back to Asami's place for the night.

When they knocked, they could hear laughter from behind the door which swung open to reveal a boisterous Bolin. "Come in," he said. "I'm teaching Opal how to dance!"

The radio was playing a big band tune, and Bolin danced his way over to Opal, taking her in to his huge arms and swinging her around, causing everyone to laugh. "I don't think I'm very good at this," said Opal.

"You're great at it," countered Bolin. "But don't worry; we'll keep working on it." He went over to the radio and turned the volume down, then invited everyone to sit. The mood became more somber. "Korra's last night in town," he said sadly. "What have you been doing today?"

"I spent all day in city hall with the Ai brothers," Korra told him. "They think really highly of you two."

"Yeah, they're great," said Bolin, and Opal nodded her agreement. "I've really been getting to know them at metalbending lessons, and afterwards the four of us get lunch and tour the city. I'll be sorry to see them go, especially since it means I'll be training with Chief Beifong alone."

"How are the lessons going?" asked Asami.

Bolin waggled his hand in the air. "So-so. I can't bend metal yet, but Beifong thinks I should be able to soon. She's teaching me how to see with my feet like Toph!"

Raising her eyebrows, Korra said, "Wow, really? That's nice of her. I thought she was just going to teach you metalbending."

"So did I, but according to her, seismic sensing can actually make metalbending easier. She says it will make me more attuned to the earth, which will make it easier for me to find earth in the metal." Bolin shrugged. "I don't think it's making it any easier, but I'm not going to pass up a good opportunity to learn another awesome earthbending skill."

"And she's still planning to teach you even once the Ai brothers are gone?" asked Korra.

"Yeah. Actually for the past few days, she's even been kind of nice to me. It's like she really _wants_ me to succeed."

Korra thought back to the encounter with Lin that she and Asami had had three days ago. At that time, she had called Lin an honorary member of Team Avatar. She wondered if that had anything to do with Lin's attitude shift towards Bolin. "Lin has been really helpful to us in the past," she said. "I'm glad she's warming up to you. Maybe it means we're finally getting past her grumpy exterior and breaking in to the friendly woman beyond."

Everyone looked at her strangely. Then they all laughed.

"Well, fine. On second thought, maybe you've just somehow earned her respect," amended Korra.

"I don't know about me, but the Ai brothers definitely have," said Bolin. "She likes them. They're amazing earthbenders. They can both already metalbend and seismic sense. And Haku is really smart, he knows all sorts of stuff about bending and spirits and things like that."

"It's true," agreed Opal. "He told us he's planning a research project about all the airbenders that were awakened by Harmonic Convergence. He has tons of really interesting theories and ideas."

"They can't wait to get to know you, Korra. They want to talk your ear off about Avatar stuff."

Korra smiled. "I think I'd like that."

"OH!" Bolin suddenly interjected. "And you were totally right about Genly. He's gay, and he told me that Gethen is really against that kind of thing. He's super depressed about it. You gotta try and change things while you're over there, Korra. It's not right that a great guy like that can't be happy just because of something so minor."

She could see that he was totally serious. He truly did care about Genly, and about this issue. A wave of affection for her old friend swept over her, and she leaned forward to hug him. "I love you, Bolin."

"Aww," said Bolin as he returned the hug. "I have no idea what prompted that, but I love you too." He reached out and grabbed Asami and Opal, turning the embrace in to a four-way hug-fest. "I love all of you guys."

They didn't stay at Bolin's very long. Before leaving, Korra gave Bolin and Opal each another hug and said, "See you at the airfield tomorrow." They were both planning to see off the airship that would take Korra and everyone else to Ba Sing Se.

"You two have a great night," said Bolin with a wink, then yelped when Opal elbowed him the side.

"Don't you have even a shred of tact in you?" she said with a sigh. "Anyway, goodnight."

Korra and Asami left and went to Asami's mansion. They prepared for bed, and when Asami came out from the shower with a towel wrapped around her head, Korra bent the water off her body in what had become a nightly ritual for them. "There we are. Nice and dry," she said.

Asami watched from the bed as Korra shed her clothes, admiring her muscular body as it was revealed bit by bit. There was nothing she loved more than having Korra with her, sharing her home and her bed. She scooted over to allow room for her, and they lay on their sides facing each other. Asami decided to voice a topic she had been thinking about for the last five days.

"I've really enjoyed this past week with you, Korra," she said. She reached out and took one of Korra's hands, raising it to her lips to kiss her knuckles. "Going to bed with you, getting up with you, getting ready for work with you, having dinner with you; everything is better when I'm with you."

"Funny you should say that," said Korra. "I was just thinking the exact same thing about you earlier tonight."

"Were you?" Korra nodded, and Asami continued, "Knowing that makes it easier to ask you this."

"Ask me what?"

With butterflies in her stomach, Asami said: "When you come back from Ba Sing Se, whenever that is, would you consider living with me? It can be here, or somewhere else, or on Air Temple Island…"

Her next words never made it out because Korra cut her off with a passionate kiss. "Yes," she said. "Of course my answer is yes."

I'm so lucky, thought Asami. She returned the kiss whole-heartedly, her head swimming, her ears buzzing. She felt Korra's skin against her naked body and thought that she couldn't tell where Korra ended and she began. Warmth suffused her from her head to her toes, and for some reason she thought of the spirit Raava, the spirit of light that had chosen Korra out of all the other people on the planet who could have ended up being the Avatar. Raava had chosen Korra, and Korra had chosen her. So lucky, she thought again before it became impossible to think of anything but Korra's touch.

It was hard for Korra to shrug off the knowledge that this would be the last time they would make love for an indefinite amount of time. She went slow and paid careful attention, trying to memorize every last thing about Asami. For a moment she debated how she wanted to touch Asami, but decided that before the night was out she would have her all of the ways she wanted her. Any shyness or reservations she had felt in the past were completely banished now. Asami loved her, and she wanted to be with Korra the way Korra wanted to be with her.

The sun hadn't even begun to rise when the doorbell of the mansion echoed through the halls. Asami had fallen in to a light doze on Korra's shoulder, but she suspected she had only been asleep for a few minutes. Korra on the other hand was snoozing peacefully, and Asami took a moment to kiss her cute face before rising and grabbing a bathrobe to answer the door. She was still sleep-addled and barely conscious.

She opened the front door to see Tenzin standing there. They stared at one another. It occurred to Asami that her hair was probably a pathetic mess, and that she wasn't wearing anything under the bathrobe.

Finally, Tenzin cleared his throat and said awkwardly, "Sorry to wake you, but I'm here looking for Korra. We're due to take off in an hour."

"Oh," said Asami. "Right. Korra. Come on in. She's upstairs, um, still sleeping. I'll go get her."

She darted up the staircase and re-entered her bedroom, leaning against the door once she had closed it. Korra was just waking up, stretching her arms above her head in a catlike fashion. "Where'd you go?" she murmured sleepily.

"I think I may have just aged Tenzin by ten or fifteen years. He's downstairs," said Asami. "You're supposed to leave in one hour."

"Bummer," replied Korra. "I'm still so tired. You knew I had to get up obscenely early to catch the airship; I can't believe how late you kept me up."

"I seem to remember that there were two people involved in that decision."

"You're right. No big deal, anyway. It was worth losing a few hours of sleep. I can sleep on the airship." She rose and began putting on her clothes, and Asami stood and watched. "You should get dressed too, Asami. Or aren't you coming to see us off?"

"I'm coming," said Asami. "But I don't want to miss my last chance to see you naked for a while."

Korra blushed, which made Asami grin devilishly. But then Korra said: "Your turn."

They both knew Tenzin was waiting, so they tried not to dally too long. When they came down the stairs, they were completely ready for the day ahead. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Tenzin," said Korra.

"No problem. I'd forgotten what a lovely home you have, Asami."

"Thanks. You should see the secret factory under the garage. Oh, wait, you already have," she joked.

Tenzin chuckled. "Things sure have changed a lot since then," he reflected.

"For the better," added Asami. "It's been a rough couple of years, but things are great now."

"They sure are," agreed Tenzin. "Shall we get going?"

It was still dark outside when they set off. Tenzin had flown to Asami's mansion using airbending, but the three of them took Asami's car to the airfield where the airship was waiting to take them to Ba Sing Se. Future Industries owned the airfield, so Asami drove out on the tarmac and took them right to where the massive zeppelin was parked. They got out to greet the little crowd of people who were milling around. It looked like they were the last ones to arrive. Some of the people came to greet them as they got out of Asami's car.

"Good morning," said President Raiko. "I hope you're all ready for your journey."

"Ready as I'll ever be," responded Korra. "Is this everyone?" She looked around at the group. The Ai brothers looked refreshed and ready to go; they were standing near Bolin, Opal and Beifong. Next to them were the other members of the Republic City council, who were not coming to Ba Sing Se but were there as a diplomatic formality.

"I believe we're waiting on one more," said Raiko.

"Who else could there possibly be?" asked a confused Korra.

"Sorry we're late," said a voice that Korra would have recognized anywhere.

She swung around to confirm it; her father was getting out of the back of a car driven by Varrick. "Dad!" exclaimed Korra, and she threw herself in to his arms.

"Hi honey," he said, holding her tightly.

"What are you doing here? Not that I'm not amazingly happy to see you."

"President Raiko contacted me. He thought it would be a good idea to have some representation from the Water Tribes present at the constitutional convention. I think the Fire Nation is sending Firelord Zuko as their representative."

"So you're coming with us to Ba Sing Se?"

"I sure am," said Tonraq, smiling at his daughter.

"That is so great!" Korra saw Asami milling nearby with Tenzin, and she put her hand on her father's arm. "Dad, there's someone very special I'd like you to meet." She led him over to Tenzin and Asami. "This is Asami Sato."

"Um, Korra, we've already met," said Asami.

"Let me rephrase that," said Korra. "Dad, this is my _girlfriend_ , Asami Sato."

Tonraq looked back and forth between the two women. "Well this is a heck of a thing to spring on me first thing in the morning," he said.

"I know. I'm sorry. I meant to write to you about it, but I was really hoping to tell you in person."

"For what it's worth," said Asami, "it's really nice to re-meet you, Tonraq. Your daughter means the world to me."

"You love her?" he asked somewhat gruffly.

"More than anything," was Asami's immediate reply.

Tonraq smiled and gave Asami a hug, too. "Then that's good enough for me." He stepped back and Korra moved to Asami's side and wrapped her arm around her waist. "I always liked you better than that Mako boy anyway," he said. "You seem like you've got a good head on your shoulders."

"That Mako boy is still one of my best friends," said Korra. "He'll be with us in Ba Sing Se."

"Will you be joining us, Miss Sato?" inquired Tonraq.

"You can call me Asami. But unfortunately, no I will not," she answered.

"Asami runs Future Industries, the company that's doing most of the reconstruction here in Republic City," explained Korra.

Raising one eyebrow, Tonraq said: "Is that so?"

"It's so," cut in Bolin, who had wandered over to their group. "Your daughter is a smart woman, sir. She managed to find the wealthiest woman in Republic City and made her fall in love with her. Can you say _sugar mamma_?"

"Hello Bolin," said Tonraq. "It's nice to see you again."

"You too, sir. Seen my ex lately?" asked Bolin, referring to the ever-terrifying Eska. "She's not here, right?" This was said with a frantic look all around the tarmac.

"No, she isn't here."

" _Phew_!" said Bolin with relief.

The captain of the airship came outside to inform them that it was time to board. President Raiko went up the gangway immediately, but everyone else lingered a bit to say their final goodbyes.

"Well it looks like our time in Republic City has ended," said Genly Ai to Bolin, Opal and Beifong. "Thank you for everything you have done for us." He and his brother put their fists together and bowed respectfully to the trio, who returned the gesture.

"I'm sure this won't be the last time we meet," said Haku. "I'll write to you when I'm planning to return here."

"We'll look forward to it," said Opal.

Genly stepped forward and reached out to clasp hands with Lin Beifong. "And most of all, thank you, Chief Beifong. You are the finest earthbender I have ever met."

Lin returned his handshake, and then his brother's. "You two are going to do great things. Keep working on your metalbending and your seismic sensing. If you're ever in town again, drop by and we'll see if you can beat me in a blindfolded duel," she said with a smirk. The Ai brothers turned and boarded the ship, and Lin went over to say goodbye to Korra. "Take care of yourself, Korra. Don't worry about Republic City. I've got this." She glanced very briefly to Asami, and she saw Korra give her the tiniest of nods. Then she walked off the tarmac, headed to her police cruiser.

Before boarding the ship, Tenzin clasped Asami on the shoulder in an affectionate and sympathetic gesture. She gave him a sad smile.

Bolin threw his arms around Korra in an over-dramatic gesture of departure. "Goodbye, my dear friend Korra. Until we meet again!"

"Bye, Bolin," laughed Korra as Bolin lifted her off her feet. "Be good."

Then Bolin and Opal tried to give Korra and Asami a little privacy by moving off to the side near Varrick and Zhi Li, who had given Tonraq a ride from the docks.

Turning to Asami, Korra saw unshed tears in those beloved green eyes, and she said: "C'mere." Needing no further invitation, Asami wrapped her arms around Korra. She felt Korra return the embrace, pulling her as close as possible. "I love you, Asami," she whispered.

"I love you too, Korra."

Korra kissed her, trying to convey all the love in her heart through the contact. "I'll be back as soon as I can," she said.

"Okay," was the only thing Asami could manage to say. The tears had escaped and were rolling down her cheeks.

"Hey," said Korra. "No crying."

"You're one to talk," replied Asami, because now Korra was crying too.

"I'm not crying," protested Korra. "I'm waterbending with my eyes."

Asami laughed despite the seriousness of the moment. "Well then, I guess I'm a waterbender, too." She leaned down for another kiss. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you more."

Korra pulled away and walked up the gangway to the airship. At the top she turned and looked back at her friends. Bolin and Opal had come to stand on either side of Asami in an attempt to comfort her. It made Korra feel a little better to see that she had those two at least. She raised her hand to wave and her three friends returned it. Then she continued on to the airship and the captain closed the door behind her. Within minutes they were airborne. Korra watched through the window as the tiny dot that was Asami get smaller and smaller before finally being obscured by a layer of cloud. Only then did she go to sit with her father and Tenzin.

Putting a comforting hand on her arm, Tenzin said, "I know it's hard, but you're doing the right thing."

"I know." She could feel more tears coming and knew she was powerless to stop them, so she stood abruptly and said: "Actually, I'm pretty tired. I think I'll go lay down."

She found her way to an empty cabin and collapsed on to the bed. Now that she was alone, she let herself cry until sleep came to her.


	12. Ba Sing Se Again

The journey to Ba Sing Se took ten hours by zeppelin. Korra slept through half of it and mingled for the other. By the time they began their descent it was late afternoon and Korra was sitting near the Ai brothers, talking to them about metalbending. They felt their ears pop, a sure sign of the descent, so they all sat up and buckled their seatbelts. "We must be there," said Genly, looking out the window as they passed through a layer of clouds.

When they broke through, they could see the Earth Palace directly in front of them. They would land behind it in the massive stone courtyard. "Have you been to Ba Sing Se before, Korra?" asked Haku.

"Only once and it was three years ago," she replied. "We were here looking for airbenders, but what we ended up getting was a crash course on the Earth Queen's corruption."

"Yes, the royal line did become very distorted towards the end," said Genly. "Not Wu though. Wu has only ever been gracious and kind towards the people of the Earth Republic."

"You can't imagine how strange it is to hear you say that," laughed Korra. "Remind me later to tell you about the first time I met that guy."

The airship landed safely and the captain dropped the gangway. Korra intentionally waited to be the last one off the ship. At the top of the gangway, she used her hand to block the sun and looked out on the shockingly huge number of people who were waiting there to greet them. It looked like a sea of green; almost all the people were strangers who were dressed similarly. Near the bottom of the gangway she could see Wu and Mako, so she continued down.

"Korra!" said Mako. "It's so good to see you. I hope your flight wasn't too terrible."

"It was fine," said Korra, accepting a friendly hug. "How are things here? Who are all these people?"

"These are some of the representatives from the states," said Mako, turning to look at the crowd. "There are more than a hundred people staying at the Earth Palace for this convention. Twenty-seven states, four representatives from each state, plus a handful of other people who ended up here for other reasons, like you guys from Republic City, and me and Wu."

"Wow," said Korra. She couldn't imagine how they would possibly be able to get anything done with so many people present. "Won't it get a little confusing?"

"I thought so at first, too, but Wu's got everything all planned out. He'll show you later. I think right now we have other things to worry about."

He inclined his head towards the group and Korra saw exactly what he meant; many people were lingering a polite distance away, waiting for an opportunity to speak to her. When she noticed them, they took it as a sign that she was ready and they began coming towards her.

"Avatar Korra," said one very old man wearing high-quality green robes, "my name is Chang. I am a representative from the state of Terra. May I say that it is an absolute honor to meet you."

No sooner had she shook his hand than a young woman began speaking. "I am Kay Li, from the state of Tungen. We are so honored to have you here."

A handsome middle-aged man shook her hand next. "I am Tai Yama, from the state of Nubbi. You honor us with your presence, Avatar Korra."

Honor, honor, honor, thought Korra. Everyone is very honored. She was glad she'd taken a nap on the airship.

"Maybe you'd better make a general greeting speech, unless you want to meet every single person here individually," suggested Tenzin as more and more representatives stepped forward to meet her.

"That's a good idea," she said, and she moved up the gangway a bit so that she could be seen above the crowd. She raised her hand and all the chatter in the courtyard died down. Once she had their attention, she spoke in a loud, sure voice that carried over the crowd. "People of the Earth Republic: Thank you for inviting me here for this historical occasion. When your representatives came to Republic City, they shared with me their vision for your country. I know that over the coming weeks we will come together to create a government that works, a government that represents _you_ , and a government that takes care of its people instead of taking advantage of them. It is a venture that I look forward to, and as the Avatar I will do everything I can to help."

Wu came up to face her on the gangway. "On behalf of the people of the Earth Republic: Thank you for being here, Avatar Korra." He put his fists together and bowed, and behind him, everyone else in the crowd did as well.

Korra returned the bow.

The crowd began to disperse, and Korra walked back down to re-join her personal friends. "How was that?" she asked nervously.

"That was perfect," said Tonraq, putting an affectionate arm around her. "My little girl is turning in to quite the diplomat."

Wu gestured to a couple of people standing off to the side; from their outfits, Korra guessed they were attendants who were there to serve the convention-goers. When they joined them, Wu said: "Would you please bring our guests to their lodgings?"

"Certainly, sir," said one of the servants with a bow.

"Karo, how many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that? It's just Wu, and you don't have to bow either," said Wu with exasperation.

"Um, sorry, sir," said Karo with a blush. "Old habits die hard I guess."

"Well get used to it." Wu threw his arm around Karo. "It's a new era here in the Earth Republic. You're making living wages and you don't have to answer to any royalty."

"Thank you, sir," said Karo. "Oops." His blush deepened. "Um, come along, I'll show you to your rooms."

"Thank you Karo," said Tenzin with a polite bow, hoping to ease his embarrassment.

"If you don't mind, I'll take Korra since she's staying on the other side near us anyway," said Mako to Wu.

"Not at all, Mako. The Earth Republic is a free country now! You can do whatever you like!"

Once they were alone, Mako sighed with exasperation. "He's matured a lot, but he's still the same old Wu. I can't tell you how many times he's said 'The Earth Republic is a free country now' in the last week. He even says it about picking out what to eat for dinner."

"Well, at least he didn't ask me out on a date this time," said Korra.

"Don't get too excited about that. I'm sure he'll get around to it eventually."

"I don't suppose it would help if I told him about Asami?"

"Doubtful," said Mako, shaking his head. "How's that going, by the way?"

Just thinking about Asami brought an instant smile to her face. "It's going amazingly well. She's so great, Mako. Every time I think there's no way I could possibly love her more, she proves me wrong." But then she felt a sharp stab of pain as she thought about their separation. "It was so hard to say goodbye to her." She felt tears prickling behind her eyes and Mako's sympathetic hand on her shoulder wasn't helping, so she decided a change of subject was in order. "Where are we going?" she asked, suddenly realizing that Mako was leading them around to the front of the palace.

"There are rooms all throughout the palace where the representatives are staying during the convention. Wu, you and I are all staying up near the front because rooms were reserved for us a long time ago. But Wu wasn't sure who would be coming from Republic City so he just started filling in rooms in no particular order. That's how it ended up that Tenzin and everyone else has to stay near the back of the palace," explained Mako.

"I see," said Korra. "So what have you been up to this past week?"

"It's been pretty crazy here. Wu and I have been running around trying to get everything ready. Turns out that housing and feeding a hundred people is kind of a big job. Plus we've been working on a system that will allow silent voting. Of course the votes will be transparent; everyone will know who voted for what, but it's important to have a way to vote that doesn't require going through every single representative one at a time."

They entered the palace through the huge stone front door, and Mako led them down one of the long, echoing hallways. As they walked, they passed by many people wearing formal clothes. Korra had never seen the place so lively. Some people stopped to greet them and chat, and Korra was surprised to see that Mako knew all of their names and home states. After one representative had left them, Korra commented: "You're loving this, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I kinda am," he admitted. "I never thought I would care for politics, but it's actually been really interesting here. It's great to see so many people working towards a common goal. There's been an energy here that's very exciting. Everyone can't wait to get started; they all care so deeply about the future of their country. It's kind of beautiful."

Korra smiled at him. If she didn't know any better she would have said that he, too, had received a vision from Avatar Aang. "Well, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. But I have no idea how you can remember who all these people are," she said.

Mako shrugged. "I never forget a face."

Suddenly, Korra stopped dead in her tracks. Mako walked a few steps before noticing, but then he turned at looked at Korra with a questioning eye. "You may never forget a face," said Korra in a low voice, "but I never forget a fight."

The earthbender who had been one of Korra and Asami's attackers was headed directly towards them. He had already spotted Korra but continued walking towards them as if he didn't have a care in the world. "Nice to see you again, Avatar Korra," he said, and he sneered at her just as he had done on the mountain road.

"Oh, the pleasure is all mine," said Korra with a dangerous glint in her eye. She tightened her hand in to a fist, ready to attack.

"You two know each other?" asked Mako.

"This guy and his firebending buddy attacked Asami and me the other day, but he ran away after we beat him senseless."

"Hey, I'm just trying to look out for my business," said the earthbender, checking his fingernails as if the conversation was boring him.

"And just what business is that, exactly? Total Creeps Incorporated?"

"Korra, this is Jon Regent, the son of Ron Regent. He's one of the owners of Sen Inc," Mako informed her. He, too, was clenching his fists. "And I bet the firebender was his brother Tom."

"Bingo," said Jon. "Kid's got a brain."

"You need to turn around and get out of this palace," growled Korra, "before I _kick_ you out."

But Jon Regent just laughed. "You don't have the authority to kick me out. I'm here at the request of my peers in Gethen. I'm an Earth Republic citizen and I have every right to be here."

"You also have every right to be in jail," countered Korra.

"Not the way I see it. You see, my brother and I were just on a harmless drive up a mountain when all of a sudden, the Avatar came and attacked us for no reason at all. She trashed my car and her girlfriend kicked the wind right out of me. It was completely unprovoked."

"That's a lie and you know it," said Korra. "You were following us, and you were trespassing on Asami's land."

"We'll see whose side the police take when I tell them the story. You may have Republic City wrapped around your little finger, but I think you'll find things are very different here in Ba Sing Se. Oh, and did I mention my brother is still in Republic City?" He gave a fake little wistful sigh. "I do miss him, but he met this beautiful woman there who he'd just love to see again, should there be any reason for him to do so."

Korra was breathing hard with fury, her blue eyes cold and icy. "I'll kill you both before I let you hurt her."

"I didn't realize the Avatar was capable of teleportation. How convenient that must be for you." He dropped the sarcastic act and moved closer to Korra, lowering his voice so that he wouldn't be overheard. "She'll be dead long before you get to her. I'll tell you again, you'd better not interfere with us. My company is perfectly legal, and there isn't anything you can do about it." Casually, he resumed his stroll down the hallway with a comment in a saccharine voice: "Enjoy your stay in Ba Sing Se, Avatar."

After he had gone Korra stood totally still, trying to prevent herself from accidentally toppling over in to the Avatar state. She honestly couldn't remember ever being so angry. Finally, Mako's voice brought her back to reality. "I think you'd better fill me in on what I missed," he said. "This is your room right here."

He listened to Korra's story as she moved around the room getting settled, and when she had finished, he asked, "So what are we going to do?"

"We aren't going to do anything. You're going to focus on getting ready for this convention. Later on we'll meet up for dinner, and I think maybe I should ask our friends Genly and Haku Ai if they'd like to join us. If that rat-faced jerk really is from Gethen, then maybe they know something about him."

"Good thinking," said Mako. "Do you think they could be in on it, too?"

"I really doubt that," said Korra. "I've spent a fair amount time with them over this last week and they seem really decent. Bolin and Opal like them, too. Even Beifong likes them."

That seemed to convince Mako. He nodded, and then got to his feet. "Alright," he said. "I'll come find you tonight and we'll go out in to the city to get something to eat. I'd say we should eat the dinner provided here in the palace, but I'm worried we might be overheard. There's a real community feel among the representatives and I don't want to risk accidentally making any more enemies."

"Sounds like a plan." Korra walked him to the door, and no sooner had he left than someone else came down the hallway towards her.

"Avatar Korra," said the man. "Mr. Wu has requested your presence in the main chamber."

Time to get to work, thought Korra. She came out of her room and shut the door. "Lead the way," she said.

The main chamber turned out to be what was formerly the throne room. Korra entered the massive space and stopped dead, looking around her in total disbelief. The entire place had been completely re-designed. Some of the massive pillars towards the middle of the room had been removed, as well as the podium where the throne had once sat. In its place there was a huge semi-circular amphitheater with ten rows of seats reaching high up towards the vaulted ceiling of the palace. All throughout the seating area, workmen were on their hands and knees installing electrical wire that ran through the entire structure.

"Impressed?" asked Wu slyly as he sidled up next to her. "It was all my idea. I thought, there's no royalty, so who needs a royal throne? And the wires are for these little guys." He held up a tiny remote with three buttons on it; one red, one green, and one yellow. "We'll use these to vote silently. No, yes, and abstain." He pointed to each button respectively as he named their purpose. "So now that I've proved what a great leader I am, how about that date?"

Korra snatched the remote out of his hand and repeatedly jammed the red button.

"Ouch," said the man who had led Korra from her room.

"No matter," said Wu. He took back the remote and grinned at her. "The convention hasn't even begun. There's plenty of time to win you over."

"I have a girlfriend, Wu," said Korra in an annoyed voice.

"I can work with that," he replied with an eyebrow waggle.

"You're disgusting," she groused. "But I have to admit, you did a really nice job on this chamber. I wasn't sure how you were going to maintain order with all these representatives here, but this is perfect."

"Yeah, I know," answered Wu arrogantly. "Let me show you where we'll be sitting."

They walked around to the front of the semi-circle to where there were six seats standing alone in a row in front of a thick table made out of solid marble. "This is what we call the Bench. Up here will be you, me, Raiko, and the leaders from the other three nations. Of course we're just a prototype Bench—in the future it will be filled with elected leaders from Earth Republic states who will take over the job of moderation, but there will always be a spot for the Avatar, should you choose to take part."

Korra nodded her understanding. The Avatar would always be needed to moderate the affairs of the world; it was part of maintaining balance.

"We debated for a while about how we would format this convention, but we knew that we would need some kind of mediator if only just to make sure everyone isn't talking over each other," explained Wu. "That's how we came up with the idea for the Bench. The mediators sit in front of and facing the rest of the congregation so that all can see exactly what they are doing, and vice versa. That way, there is total transparency to everyone's actions. In the new Earth Republic, there are no secrets."

"That sounds really wonderful, Wu. History is going to remember you as the only Earth Kingdom royal who ever did anything good for the world."

"Thank you Korra," said Wu with a humble bow. When he straightened up he looked around the massive stone room, imaging what it had looked like just a few weeks ago. "My ancestors were always concerned with their legacy and how much they would leave behind for the next in line. They never once considered that they had a responsibility to the rest of the world to leave behind enough for _everyone_. My hope is that when it's time for me to step back from this world, I'll be leaving behind a country that can take care of itself and each other. That is the only legacy I care about."

Korra smiled, feeling a rush of affection towards him. "When I fought Unalaq my connection to my past lives was severed," she told him. "But when I think about what is happening here in the Earth Republic, it's like I can feel Avatar Aang's presence again. That's how I know you are doing the right thing here. I'll help you with whatever you need, Wu."

"What if I need a hot date tonight?"

The affection from a few seconds ago was quickly squashed. "Why do you always have to ruin it?"


	13. The SUMs

For the rest of the afternoon Korra went around the palace with Wu and he introduced her to many of the representatives. He was really in his element, just as Mako had been earlier. Though she was a long way from understanding everything about the Earth Republic, she began to get a clearer picture of what goals they were hoping to achieve in the upcoming convention. She met representatives from wealthy backgrounds who had probably bought their way in to the convention, and she met representatives who were as passionate and well-spoken about the future of their country as Genly Ai had been back at city hall in Republic City.

She ran in to the Ai brothers in the late afternoon while they were conversing with some representatives that Korra had met earlier. "I'm sorry to cut in, but may I speak to you for a moment?" she asked Genly and Haku.

"Certainly," answered Genly. He said a quick goodbye to the others and then the three of them separated to a different area of the room.

"Do you guys have plans for dinner? Mako and I were going to get something in the city and we were hoping you'd come along," she said in a friendly tone.

The two brothers glanced at one another, then Genly answered: "We were only planning to eat here. We'd love to join you."

"Great," said Korra. "We'll meet you outside the palace."

The rest of the day flew by in a whirl, and by the time the representatives began to make their way to dinner, Korra felt totally exhausted and was somewhat regretting the decision to go out in to Ba Sing Se. On her way back to her room, though, she saw Jon Regent in passing and he gave her a cheeky wink. Her fury adequately restored her energy, and it was with renewed vigor that she made her way down the palace steps to where Mako and the Ai brothers were already waiting for her.

"What's up with you?" asked Mako. "You look like you're ready to punch someone."

"I am, and the someone's name is Jon Regent," she replied. She saw Genly raise his eyebrows in surprise. "I have to admit I had an ulterior motive for inviting you guys to dinner tonight," she said to him. "I have some questions about Regent that I was hoping you'd be able to answer."

Genly looked around at the stone courtyard; there were several representatives lingering in the area, although none of them seemed particularly interested in what the four of them were doing. "Maybe not here," he said.

"I agree," said Mako. "Let's go find some food. I haven't eaten all day and I'm starving."

"You should eat, Mako. Events like this are a long game. It's important to maintain good habits like taking breaks to eat and getting plenty of rest at night," said Haku.

"I know. That's why Wu set up such strict meal hours, but today was just too busy. Once the convention starts, I'll be back on track."

"Good," said Haku. "From what I've been hearing, you've been instrumental to this event. The convention needs you, but you're no good to us if you're not healthy."

As they talked they had been crossing the courtyard and heading out of the Earth Palace complex. When they emerged on to the streets of the upper ring, Korra stopped dead in her tracks for the third time that day.

The streets of the upper ring of Ba Sing Se were filled with boxy cars like the ones the Regent brothers had been driving on the mountain.

"Now what's wrong?" Mako asked when he noticed that she was no longer beside him.

"How long have these cars been popular in Ba Sing Se?" she asked in reply.

"What cars?" Like Korra, Mako didn't know the first thing about automobiles. To him, the boxy cars looked like small, useless trucks that didn't have nearly enough room in the back to fit anything significantly large.

Korra pointed at one of the cars. "Those ones like that, with the big tires and square body," she said. From where they were standing, she could see four more of the cars, and she pointed them each out in turn.

"Asami must be rubbing off on you. What's with the sudden interest in cars?"

"How long have they been popular here?" repeated Korra, ignoring Mako and directing the question at the Ai brothers.

"Not very long," said Haku. "Only about two weeks. They're manufactured jointly by Sen Inc and Cah-Bage Corp."

"Who the heck is Cah-Bage Corp?" said Mako.

Again ignoring him, Korra explained: "A couple of days ago, Asami and I went up in to the mountains to spend the day at her summer cabin. On our way there we were followed by Jon and Tom Regent, and they were driving a car like that."

"Why would they follow you?" said Genly.

"They wouldn't tell me at first, but after we beat them up they warned me to 'stay out of their business.' I have no idea why they were being so shady about it. But Asami said she'd never seen a car like that; apparently it's perfectly suited for rough terrain."

"They are," confirmed Haku. "They're called Sports Utility Mobiles, or SUMs. People like them because they're a lot safer than satomobiles. No offense to Miss Sato," he added quickly.

"How are they safer? They look pretty much the same as every other car to me."

"Isn't it obvious? You're a metalbender too; you must know those cars are made out of unbendable metal," said Haku.

"No they're not," objected Korra. "Why does everyone keep saying that? I bent the thing right open, no problem." She walked over to one of the SUMs that was parked nearby and placed her hand on it. "I can feel plenty of earth in here, can't you?"

Both Ai brothers walked over and put their hands against the car. "Nope," said Genly.

"Not a thing," agreed Haku.

"What are you talking about? How can you not feel that?" Korra felt as though they must be playing a practical joke on her. To her, the metal felt exactly the same as any other metal.

"Who else said the metal was unbendable?" said Mako, coming to stand beside them and putting his hand on the car despite the fact that he wasn't an earthbender.

"Chief Beifong," said Korra. "During the fight I bent off one of the doors of the Regents' car and I brought it to the station when we reported it. She looked at me like I was crazy when I told her I metalbent the door off."

"It's probably because you're a better earthbender than we are," reasoned Genly. "I mean, you are the Avatar after all."

They were interrupted by Mako's stomach growling loudly. Everyone chuckled, which eased the tension in the group. "There's a place I like just up here," said Genly. He led them to a small restaurant two blocks away where there weren't very many other patrons. They were seated in a corner booth; there was no one else sitting nearby, and a waiter came right away to take their orders.

"So tell me about Jon Regent," said Korra once they were alone.

"Well, I think you know that he's the son of Ron Regent, the owner of Sen Inc," began Genly. "Until very recently, the company was Ron's exclusively, but about three weeks ago he relinquished part ownership to each of his sons. Right around the same time, Sen Inc and Cah-Bage Corp began working together on the SUMs, which they put on the market right away." Genly paused to sip water from his glass, and Mako used the opportunity to cut in.

"Someone wanna fill me in on who this Cah-Bage Corp is?"

"Remember the former CEO of Cabbage Corp, Lau Gan-Lan? It's his company," said Korra. "Beifong told Asami and me that apparently we've been living under a rock, because he was released from custody two years ago. After he got out he came here to Ba Sing Se and started Cah-Bage Corp."

In an attempt to placate her obvious irritation, Haku said: "Don't feel too bad, Korra. Almost no one knew about Cah-Bage Corp until recently because they'd only been in pre-planning stages for the SUMs. They weren't actually building the cars until they partnered with Sen Inc, and then the partnership catapulted the business in to the open market."

"So Cah-Bage Corp designed the SUMs?" asked Korra, and Genly nodded. "That makes sense. Asami could tell right away that the car was a Cabbage Corp car, even though she'd never seen that particular model before. It must be because she recognized something about Gan-Lan's style."

"Yes," said Genly, "that does seem right. Gan-Lan advertises the SUMs as being a new twist on an old favorite, in his words. The vehicle itself is similar to some of the larger trucks they've designed in the past, but it's obviously got some new features that have never been seen before, like the thick tires and the unbendable metal."

"It's not unbendable," muttered Korra.

Genly smiled indulgently. "Okay, well, mostly unbendable."

"Fine," replied Korra. "So now we know about the love affair between Cah-Bage Corp and Sen Inc, but that doesn't tell me anything about Regent. Is he really from Gethen?"

"He wasn't born there, but he is a citizen," said Genly. "There are many wealthy families in Gethen, and we all hear all the gossip about each other."

Korra thought back to when Asami had told her that all the wealthy people in Republic City knew one another. Apparently that was not unique to Republic City.

"I first met Jon Regent, oh, I guess about twenty years ago now," continued Genly. "He had just graduated from university and had decided to move to Gethen in the hopes of earning a name for himself outside of his father's company. I was only eleven or twelve at the time, but I remember thinking he was a pretty charming fellow at first. He was very ambitious and he spent years trying to get the families of Gethen to invest in his startup company. But he never managed to get it off the ground."

"Why not?" asked Mako in between bites of bread; he was so hungry that he had already eaten almost all the complimentary bread and butter that the restaurant had placed on their table.

"There were many reasons, but the biggest one was his fondness for drink," said Genly. "Gethen elite love to make money, but there are plenty of safer ways to do it than investing in the dreams of a drunk. Still though, people couldn't help but like him; he has a very sharp wit and is very adept at playing the social game. He has a way of manipulating people in to getting what he wants. After a couple of years he gave up his attempt at a startup and instead starting getting involved in politics. And in that, he flourished."

"Unfortunately," added Haku. "He stands for almost the exact opposite of everything Genly and I believe. The wealthy families of Gethen live in fear of anyone taking their money away, so Regent has been promising them unrealistically low tax rates. Genly and I ran on a platform of equality and fair distribution of wealth, but Regent spouts garbage about how the government wants to take their money and they should send him to Ba Sing Se so that he can protect it."

Hesitantly, Mako spoke up again. "Um, not to be argumentative, but isn't he kind of right? I mean, they do want to raise taxes, right?"

"Of course he's not right," snapped Haku, and Mako immediately put his hands up in surrender.

"Hey, don't get defensive. I'm just playing devil's advocate here."

"It's alright, Mako," said Genly. "This is why they say to never discuss politics at the dinner table, but Haku and I have never subscribed to that belief. What Regent is telling the elite is that the new Earth Republic government wants to totally redistribute wealth in the country, so they will be taking a hugely significant amount of money from each person there," he explained to Mako. "In truth, the plan is to raise the taxes on a sliding scale by such a minute amount that they would hardly notice the difference, but that tiny amount taken from each wealthy person in the Earth Republic would add up. You have to understand that there are _many_ prosperous families and businesses in the Earth Republic, and that they have _considerably_ more money than everyone else. Even just a fraction of a percentage of tax increase on those families and businesses would be massive. And then we could funnel that money back in to the economy of the lower classes. Then the people who live in poverty would have more money to spend, and by proxy, the elite would make more money anyway."

"So essentially, Regent is running on a platform of simplistic lies by omission," concluded Haku. "He only spreads propaganda that barely scrapes the surface of the issue."

"But his fear-mongering works," added Genly. "People voted for him, and that's why he's here in Ba Sing Se for the convention. He's got friends in high places. Essentially, he bought his way here."

"Why does he even care?" asked Mako. "He could be living a life of luxury with all his daddy's money, but instead he's trying to get himself elected in to public office. Why bother?"

"Power," said Korra, and they looked at her. "It's about power. The other day I realized something; every opponent I've ever faced has been trying to climb to the top. The only difference between someone like Kuvira and someone like Jon Regent is that Kuvira tried to destroy the system to re-build it with her on top. But Regent is climbing a ladder that's already propped up against the Earth Palace. And to do it, he's using the most powerful weapon of all: Money."

While they were sitting in silence and contemplating this, the waiter returned and delivered their dinners. Mako's plate was piled ridiculously high with food.

"There's no way you're going to be able to eat all that," said Korra.

"How much do you want to bet on that?" countered Mako, salivating as he picked up his fork and began to dig in.

"Ugh, you're disgusting. I can't believe I ever dated you." But her voice was filled with affection and secretly she thought Mako was hilarious. Her disgust was feigned for the benefit of the Ai brothers, who seemed so cordial and prim. She picked up her own utensils and began slicing her meal in to manageable bites. "Speaking of which, you were right about Wu. He finally got around to asking me out, and when I told him about Asami, he seemed even _more_ interested."

Haku snorted with laughter in to his dinner plate. "It was probably a bad idea to tell him about that," he said. "Now he'll never leave you alone."

"But why would he keep pursuing me if he knows he has no chance? I'm already seeing someone. I'm not interested."

"You're already seeing a _girl_ ," said Haku. "That's like the ultimate male fantasy. Well, some males anyway," he amended with a glance at his brother.

Korra stared at him. Beside her, Mako nodded his head in agreement.

"Disgusting," concluded Korra after a moment. "You're all disgusting. Except you, Genly."

"Men are polar bear dogs," agreed Genly cheerfully, and he and Korra clinked their glasses together.

Once they had finished eating, the four of them headed back to the palace. The streets were dark but alive with the nightlife of the Ba Sing Se upper ring. They passed groups of well-dressed young people on their way to various places and functions, and Korra spotted no less than five SUMs driving along. As they got closer to the palace the crowds thinned, and there was no one else outside in the stone courtyard as they approached the massive steps.

"Is there a phone I can use somewhere to give Asami a call?" asked Korra. "Preferably somewhere private?"

"I had a feeling you might ask me that," said Mako. "I had the workmen install one in your room."

Korra gave him a bright smile. "Thank you. That was really thoughtful of you."

"You're welcome, Avatar. You're the _honored_ guest here and the Earth Republic is a _free country_. You can have whatever you want."

With a shared laugh, they said goodnight to the Ai brothers and headed to their rooms. "Night," said Mako. "If you need me, I'm right next door. Tell Asami I said hello."

"I will. Good night." Korra entered her room and immediately headed to the telephone sitting on the desk. She could barely wait to hear Asami's voice. She dialed and sat with baited breath as the other end rang. Finally, she heard an achingly familiar voice pick up.

"Sato residence."

"Since when do you answer your own phone? Shouldn't your butler do that?" said Korra.

" _Korra_!" gasped Asami. She sank weak-kneed in to her desk chair. "You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice."

"Oh, I think I have some idea. What's wrong?"

"Nothing unusual," Asami assured her, "just roadblocks in my construction projects. Sen Inc keeps taking bids that I have no idea how they can afford. They took one for a dock near the spirit portal today that I thought I had locked down. I've been dealing with it all day and I've got this killer headache. But just hearing your voice helps."

"Well I'm glad I called then, especially since I think I can tell you how Sen Inc could afford that contract." She told Asami about what she had seen and learned that day, starting with running in to Jon Regent and finishing with seeing the streets of Ba Sing Se crawling with SUMs. "And the weirdest thing is, the Ai brothers seem to believe that the metal is unbendable, but obviously I can bend it just fine," she concluded. There was silence on the other end of the line for an unusual amount of time, and Korra worried they may have gotten disconnected. "Asami?"

"Sorry, I'm here. I'm just thinking. How could all this have happened without my knowing about it?" she wondered. "I guess I really have been too focused on Republic City."

"Don't beat yourself up about it," said Korra. "The way the Ai brothers tell it, it's been pretty well under wraps, even here in Ba Sing Se."

"Still, it's competition at a time when I really wasn't expecting any. If Sen Inc keeps taking these important bids away from Future Industries, then I can't guarantee that the city is going to be rebuilt in a way that's balanced between the humans and the spirits." She took another moment to think about it, and then she said: "I guess I'll just have to ante up more money."

"Do you have more money to ante up with?"

"Don't worry about that," replied Asami. "I told you I'd rebuild the city out of my own pocket, and I meant that."

In her room in Ba Sing Se, Korra felt torn between her sadness at Asami's sacrifice and her intense love for the woman who was making it. Finally, she settled on saying: "I miss you."

Asami smiled. "I miss you too. How are things there otherwise?"

"Busy," said Korra. "Sometimes being the Avatar is exhausting. Everyone wants to meet me and tell me how honored they are to be meeting me. By this time tomorrow, I'll probably be able to list every state in the Earth Republic in alphabetical order."

"Are you at least meeting some interesting people?"

"I wish I could say yes to that, but I haven't even had enough time to really get to know anyone, except the Ai brothers and that jerk Jon Regent. How come you didn't recognize him or his brother when they attacked us?"

"I'd never met them before," responded Asami. "I knew Ron had sons but they were never involved in the business, which is apparently no longer true."

"Well, Jon said his brother is still there in Republic City. He may even be keeping tabs on you." Korra tried to keep the worry out of her voice because she didn't want Asami to think she was being overprotective.

But Asami could see right through it, even over the phone. "Don't worry," she said. "I'm being very careful. I had my glove on all day at work, and it's sitting here beside me on the desk."

Korra gave a self-conscious chuckle. "Was I that obvious?"

"No, I just know you pretty well." There was a pause as they both sat in their respective cities, wishing they could be together instead of being connected by a wire. "Actually, I have something embarrassing to tell you," said Asami finally. "I may as well tell you now since you'll find out in a few days anyway."

"This sounds juicy," said Korra. "Out with it."

"I um, I kind of wrote you a letter today."

"What?" laughed Korra. "How did you even have time for that? I only left this morning." Although it seemed like much longer, she added mentally.

"I wrote it during my lunch hour. I was sitting in the park near your statue and I just couldn't help myself." When Korra laughed again, she muttered, "I shouldn't have told you."

"I'm sorry," said Korra. "I shouldn't laugh. I can't tell you how many times I thought about you today. If I had had any time to sit still, I probably would have done the same thing. I think it's really sweet, and I can't wait to read it."

"I think you'll like it," said Asami. "There's something else. I saw Bolin on his way home from work today and he told me that from now on, every time I talk to you, I have to tell you he says hi."

"Hey, what a great idea! Can you do the same for him, on my behalf?"

"Sure," agreed Asami.

"And Mako says hi too. He's been just as busy as I am, and it seems like he's really enjoying it here. As it turns out, our beloved bonehead is a natural politician. And Wu apparently wants to get in on our relationship or something. According to Mako and Haku, it's a guy thing. I don't really get it but they both seem to."

"You don't get it?" echoed Asami incredulously.

"Not really."

"Oh Korra, sometimes you are so adorably naïve," said Asami, and then she laughed.

The sound of Asami's laughter sent Korra's heart racing. It was insane how much she missed her. It was a physical ache in her chest. It didn't even matter that Asami was teasing her; the only thing she could think about was how much she wished she could be there to make Asami laugh like that all the time, and how much she wasn't looking forward to spending the night alone. On the zeppelin she had cried so much that she thought were no tears left to cry, but now she realized how wrong she had been. "I love you so much, Asami," she said, wiping a tear away from her eye. "It's so hard being away from you."

She heard Asami sniffle on the other end of the line. "It's hard for me, too."

"I don't know how I'm going to be able to do this," admitted Korra. "It's only been one day and I already feel like I'm unraveling."

"Listen to me, Korra," demanded Asami, wiping away her own tears and steeling her resolve. "You're going to do it because you _have_ to do it. We're strong enough for this. The world needs its Avatar and we have to accept that. It's like you said that day in the park; being the Avatar means you have a responsibility to the world. It means you have to share yourself. And it means that even though I love you and I need you, I have to share you."

With a sigh, Korra leaned forward on to the desk and rested her head on one forearm, using her other hand to press the phone tight against her ear as if it could bring her closer to the woman on the other end. "I know," she said miserably.

"And you know what else?" continued Asami. "You _want_ to help the Earth Republic. It's part of who you are. It may be hard, but you wouldn't want it any other way. You wouldn't be happy in Republic City right now with everything that's going on in Ba Sing Se. Even if you were with me, it would bother you. This is your destiny."

Korra thought back to the three years she had spent recovering from Zaheer's poison. At that time, she had worked to recover from the poison so that she could continue to fulfil her role as the Avatar. There had never been a single minute when she had wished she wasn't bonded with Raava; instead, all her personal issues were based around the fact that she had lost the things that made her a successful Avatar—her ability to fight, her ability to go in to the Avatar state, her connections to Raava and her past lives.

Now, though, she was a fully realized Avatar. She could fight, she had re-connected with Raava and regained the Avatar state, and even though she still couldn't reach out to her past lives, she had managed to somehow find a connection to Aang. Asami was right, thought Korra. Yes, their relationship was important to her, but Korra was the Avatar above all else. And it didn't have to mean that Asami came second; as long as she kept Asami close to her heart, there was no reason to try and pick between the two things. Asami not only understood what it meant to be the Avatar, she also loved Korra because of her responsibilities as the Avatar. What Asami was offering was unconditional acceptance and support. The realization filled her with warmth and love for Asami in addition to a renewed sense of purpose towards her duty in the Earth Republic. She felt the ache in her chest recede a little.

"There she is," said Asami after a long pause. "There's my girl."

"Here I am." Korra smiled, tears still leaking down her face. "How do you do that?" she said. "How do you always know exactly what to say?"

"I study the things I love very closely. I get you, Korra." She waited until it seemed like Korra had stopped crying, then she said: "We should hang up. You need to get some rest. The convention starts tomorrow."

"I'm not looking forward to sleeping in a bed that doesn't smell like you," said Korra glumly.

"Yeah, about that, there's something else I have to confess."

"What now?"

"I switched our nightshirts."

"You did?!" Korra dropped the phone, jumped up from the desk and went over to her bag. After digging around, she found a long white nightshirt that definitely belonged to Asami. She put it up to her face and inhaled deeply, swooning on her feet. "You are so awesome," she said once she had returned to the phone. "This is the greatest gift ever."

"I'm so relieved," said Asami with a chuckle. "I wasn't sure if you would mind."

"How could I mind?" She breathed Asami's scent again, a huge grin on her face. "I'm going to sleep with this right next to me."

"I'm going to do the same thing with yours. So go to bed, okay? Try and get some sleep."

"Okay. Thank you for everything, Asami. I love you."

"I love you too, Korra."


	14. Espionage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't make it a habit of including notes before chapters, but I wanted to say that this chapter is one of my favorite things I've ever written. I read a lot of spy novels but I've never tried to write anything even remotely resembling a mystery or spy story before this fic, so this chapter was just beyond fun for me to write.
> 
> That being said, I have to admit that Asami's little trick in this chapter is a modified version of a similar trick used in one of Ken Follett's spy novels, although I can't remember which one exactly. I'm pretty sure it's either Triple or The Key to Rebecca.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

One morning three weeks after Korra had left for Ba Sing Se, Asami noticed that she was being followed.

There had been many times over the past three weeks that she had thought there might be someone following her, but she'd never been sure until right now. She was on her way to work when she caught a fleeting glimpse of a very familiar-looking box-shaped car several blocks behind in her rear-view mirror. Of course many cars had square bodies, but as she made a right turn in her satomobile, she noticed that the passenger side door of this particular car was a slightly different shade of black than the rest of the vehicle, as if it had recently been replaced.

At the next red light she hit, she reached in to the center console of her satomobile and pulled out her Future Industries electricity glove, slipping it on and taking comfort in its protection. Then she considered her options.

It wouldn't be difficult to lose him, she felt confident about that. But she couldn't help feeling an intense curiosity about the so-called SUM that Cah-Bage Corp and Sen Inc had created without her ever even noticing. Something told her that if she could just get a couple of minutes alone with it, she might be able to learn something that could help her answer some of Korra's questions. She wondered what Korra would want her to do.

Korra never tried to keep Asami from fighting. On the contrary, Korra seemed to rely on Asami in battle, such as the time when they had rescued Wu from Kuvira's kidnappers on the train; on that occasion, Asami and Korra had been the bookends for an attack that was coming from two different directions.

She felt pretty certain that Korra wouldn't want her to put herself up against an unnecessary risk. But Korra also respected her judgment, so if Asami was sure everything would turn out okay, she wouldn't try to hold Asami back.

By the time she arrived at her construction site, Asami had come up with a plan that would safely buy her a solid ten minutes alone with the SUM.

Varrick and Zhu Li were already at the site; Future Industries was partnering with Varrick Industries for the new train station, and they were standing with Lee and looking at the work being done on the vaulted marble ceiling. "Good morning, everyone," said Asami as she approached them.

"Good morning!" replied Varrick. "How are you doing? Still sleeping poorly without your honey?"

"Um, let's talk about that later," said Asami. "Right now, I need a favor." She pulled him and Zhu Li aside and scribbled something down on a little slip of paper. "Can you meet me at this intersection in about twenty minutes?" she asked.

"Sure, Asami, but this is in the middle of nowhere. What gives?" Varrick handed the paper to his wife, who seemed equally confused.

"I'll explain everything later. Just be there."

She turned and left the construction site. Just outside of it, she knelt down and pretended to re-tie her boots, but in actuality looked around for the black SUM. Finally, she spotted it tucked inconspicuously in to a parking spot for the open-air market across the street, hiding in plain sight. Now that she knew where it was, she continued on foot away from the construction site, hoping against hope that she was correct in assuming her pursuer would get out of his vehicle to follow her.

After several minutes of walking, she knew she had been right. She didn't dare risk a look behind her; it was critical that her pursuer not know that Asami was aware she was being followed. But in the reflection of the canal she was now walking alongside, she spotted a brief glimpse of a face she recognized; it was Tom Regent, the firebender who had attacked Asami and Korra on the mountainside.

Hastening her gait, she headed towards the busy downtown area where Republic City's commerce was most highly centralized. Here on First Avenue, there were hundreds of other pedestrians, and, more importantly, plenty of taxis cruising up and down the street looking for fares. With obvious hand motions and a loud voice, she hailed one of the cabs and climbed in to the back. Risking a glance down the street in the direction she had just come from, she saw Regent do the same.

She gave the driver an address a block from where she had told Varrick and Zhu Li to meet her, and then twisted in her seat to look behind them. Regent's taxi was following at a respectable distance. Leaning back in her seat, she breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like her plan was going to work.

It was a ten minute drive to the residential neighborhood where Asami had told the driver to take her. Once there, she paid him, gave him a big tip and sent him away. Then she continued down the road on foot again. As she walked, the taxi that Regent had been in drove by her with its "available" light on, which could only mean that Regent had got out and was once again following her on foot. She turned a corner and saw Varrick and Zhu Li sitting in Varrick's parked car. Closing the rest of the distance in a jog, she threw herself in to the back seat and said: "Okay, let's go back to the site."

They drove right past Tom Regent on their way back. Asami smiled and waggled her fingers at him. Through the open window, she jeered: "You should pick another line of work; I don't think espionage is your calling."

He stared at them in disbelief, suddenly realizing what she had done; he was now stranded in a random deserted, scarcely populated residential neighborhood in Republic City with no vehicle available. It was several minutes' walk to any place where he could hope to catch a cab, or to any public phone that he could use to call one. Cursing loudly, he bent a ball of fire at a nearby bush in anger.

On their way back, Asami briefly filled Varrick and Zhu Li in on what was going on. When they got back to the construction site, she said: "Thanks for the ride. You two go on back to work. I'm going to go check out the car." After she had hopped out, the married couple looked at one another.

"Well," said Zhu Li, "if that's not doing the thing, I don't know what is."

Asami crossed the street to the parking lot and approached the SUM. First she walked around the outside of it, looking at the overall design. She stopped and closely inspected the new door, then hitched herself up on a tire to see on to the roof, which had also been patched. To her expert eye, it was evident that the repairs had been done the old-fashioned way, with a blow torch and regular tools. It didn't have any of the seamless perfection that came from cars assembled using metalbending. Instead, it was a hasty job done by someone who didn't have mastery of the domain, much like the airship built by Cabbage Corp that she and Korra had once been captured in. "Shoddy workmanship," she muttered.

She went around to the other side and tried the driver's side door, unsurprised to find it locked. The parking lot was fairly populated by people coming and going to the market, so she pretended to be checking her hair in the side mirror, reaching up and pulling out one of the pins she was using to keep it in place. Once that was done, she took out her own car keys and held them in her hand to mask the fact that she was using the pin to jimmy open the lock on the door. Within seconds, she felt the lock click and she opened the door.

The first thing she did was pop the hood, and then she climbed in and opened the center console. It was empty except for a pack of cigarettes and a couple of candy bar wrappers. She reached over and checked the glove compartment, finding the vehicle registration issued by the city of Ba Sing Se listing the make, model and owner of the car. Under that, she found an envelope that had already been torn open. The return address was Ron Regent at somewhere in Ba Sing Se, and it was addressed to Tom Regent at a location close to the spirit portal in Republic City. Everything was handwritten. After debating for a few seconds, Asami stuffed it in her pocket. It seemed pointless to try to hide the fact that she was spying on Regent, not after the stunt she had just pulled over on him.

Satisfied that there was nothing else to learn from the inside of the car, she got out and slammed the door. She walked around to the front of the car and lifted the hood, propping it open with the metal rod lying along the lip.

Then she stared at the engine, completely astounded. The tire tracks on the mountain road had led her to believe that the vehicle was heavier than a satomobile, but the size of this engine was simply outrageous. The only other engines she'd ever seen that were even vaguely comparable to this one were the massive, bulky ones they used on commercial transportation trucks. Those trucks were designed to carry thousands of pounds of cargo across huge distances, so they needed a large engine in order to compensate for the power required. But this engine was sitting in a personal vehicle that barely needed to be able to carry more than one thousand pounds. Why on earth would anyone need that much power?

"Having some car troubles, huh? Need some help there?" said a random passerby, a handsome man obviously hoping to perform a rescue for what he perceived as a damsel in distress scenario.

"No, I'm alright. Thank you though," replied Asami.

"Just as well," said the man, moving closer to the car to get a closer look. "I've never seen an engine like this one before." He whistled appreciatively. "That's some car you got there. That a satomobile?"

"No," said Asami, a little more harshly than she had intended to. "Future Industries would never produce a monstrosity like this."

The man shrugged and moved on. Still seething, Asami released the metal prop and let the hood fall back on to the car with an almighty bang. She turned to walk back to the construction site and spotted Tom Regent climbing out of a cab near the entrance to the parking lot. "Like what you see?" he called out to her once he was within earshot.

Asami walked right up to him, unconsciously clenching the hand with the Future Industries glove on it. "What you and your company have created is an absolute abomination," she said. "Do you have any idea how much pollution that thing must cause? How much fuel that thing must eat? How many of those monsters have you sold?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Tom in a sing-song voice. "A couple thousand, I guess."

"A couple _thousand_?" yelled Asami.

"People in Ba Sing Se don't like the idea that any old metalbender can go around destroying their personal property. They're willing to pay a lot of money to feel safe."

"You're wrong that those cars are unbendable," said Asami. "Or weren't you paying attention when Korra trashed yours?"

"Big deal," replied Tom. "So one person can bend the metal, who cares?"

"That one person is the Avatar." Asami took another step closer, glaring right in to Tom's cold eyes. "We know that something weird is going on here, and when we figure it out what it is, you better believe that one person is enough to destroy every single one of those so-called 'SUMs' you've built." She brushed past Tom, putting her gloved hand on his chest and pushing him out of her way.

"It's too late, Sato," Tom shouted after her. "The SUMs are here to stay, and it's only a matter of time before they're all over the streets of Republic City too."

The anger stayed with her all day, and later during her nightly phone call with Korra, she relayed what she had learned with such fury that Korra felt as though she were being pressed back in to her seat by it.

"I mean, the only reason those commercial trucks are allowed is because they are serving a necessary purpose for society," ranted Asami. "There are regulations about this kind of thing; you can't just go around polluting the air, you have to be responsible about the effect you're having on the planet!"

"Asami," cut in Korra.

"What?" snapped Asami.

"It was really awesome how you managed to ditch that slime-ball Tom Regent today. That was clever thinking," said Korra. She was hoping to calm her lover down without actually telling her to calm down, which would only have the opposite effect. After a pause, she heard Asami give a little laugh which told her that her strategy had been successful. "There she is," teased Korra. "There's my girl."

"Here I am," was Asami's expected reply. "I'm sorry. It just really makes me mad."

"Does it? I couldn't tell." She thought about everything Asami had just told her about the cars. "Did you ever run those tests on the door we got off Tom's SUM?"

"No, I never did. After Beifong told us about Cah-Bage Corp, it seemed like it wasn't necessary. We know that Sen Inc and Cah-Bage Corp are working together, so why should it matter where the steel is coming from?"

"I think you'd better run them," said Korra. "It might be a long shot, but something just doesn't add up about the fact that only I can bend that metal."

"You're right," agreed Asami. "I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner."

"Hey, that's why I'm here. I'm the Avatar for a reason."

"Obviously your modesty is not it." She heard Korra laugh, and she looked across her room to the car door that was leaning against one of her walls. "I'll get started on those tests tomorrow. It'll probably take about a week. The process is slow; I have to let the excess minerals dissolve in acid for a while so that my sample is pure enough, but then I should be able to get a good idea of how oxidized the minerals are, and from there I'll be able to figure out what altitude it came from. That should help us geographically narrow down what region the the mines are in."

"Keep saying smart things," said Korra. "It's kind of turning me on."

"You're terrible," laughed Asami. "What's gotten in to you tonight, anyway?"

"What do you mean?"

"You just sound like you're in a really good mood."

"Yeah," reflected Korra, "I guess I am in a good mood. The convention was productive today; we have a rough outline for our three-branch government idea already. So that might be it. Or it might be because of a certain letter I got this morning."

Asami could hear the smile in her voice. "You finally got my letter?"

"I finally got your letter," confirmed Korra.

The letter in question lay before her on the desk. Both women had thought it must have been lost by the post office, but the mail man had told Korra that his truck had been attacked on his route by some bandits. Once the police apprehended them, they had given him back the stolen letters for him to deliver, and one of the ones they found had been hers. Korra had already read it so many times, she practically had it memorized. It said:

_Dear Korra,_

_I'm sitting in the park looking at this huge statue of you because it's the closest I can get to feeling like we're having lunch together. The city put this statue here because of the amazing things you've done as the Avatar, but what I'm thinking about is all the little things you do as Korra that make me love you so much._

_I love the way you laugh, and I love the way you make me laugh. Do you remember when we were in the Earth Kingdom looking for airbenders, and you teased Mako with airbending after he had been acting so strangely around us? And in the car that day I tried to teach you to drive, when you imitated his stupid salute? And then you couldn't seem to figure out which pedal was the clutch and which was the brake. You truly are hopeless behind the wheel. Thinking about it still makes me smile._

_I love your adorable face when you're sleeping. Waking up next to you in the morning and looking over to see that cute face, it's the perfect way to start every day. How could I have a bad day after seeing you blink your gorgeous blue eyes open and stretch out and yawn that huge yawn? And afterwards, when you put your arms around me and you're still so sleepy and warm, it makes me feel like the most fortunate woman in the world._

_I notice everything about you, Korra, and there's nothing there that I don't love. I love the Avatar bits too, but the Korra bits are what I find myself remembering now that you're gone._

_Yours always,_

_Asami_

Running her finger over the paper and imagining Asami sitting in the park writing it, Korra said, "I'm not sure what to say, Asami."

"You don't have to say anything. I wrote it because I wanted you to know how I feel about you, not because I expected you to do or say anything in return."

"Well, it made me feel really special," said Korra. "And even though I still miss you so much it hurts, getting that letter almost felt like getting a tiny little visit from you."

"I'm glad," said Asami.

"And I wrote you one, too."

"You did?"

"Yeah, but I sent it like three days ago. I guess you haven't gotten it yet?"

"No, I haven't." Asami was touched that Korra had written to her; it meant that at some point over the last three weeks, Korra had been thinking about her.

"Actually," continued Korra with a nervous chuckle, "I've written you about thirty letters."

"What?"

"Yeah. But I only sent one of them. I don't want you to think I'm obsessed."

Asami laughed, but Korra could hear that she was also probably crying a little. She had that little catch in her voice that she had become accustomed to hearing whenever she made Asami happy-cry. It was one of the best feelings in the world to do that to her, ranking right up there with being the lucky woman who got to make love to Asami. "Now I'm the one who feels special," said Asami finally.

"I wish I could be there to make you feel even more special," whispered Korra, feeling a strange mixture of shyness and bone-deep desire for Asami.

"I wish that, too." Asami listened to Korra breathing, thinking about the first night they had spent together here in her bedroom. She remembered how Korra had teased her until Asami had verbalized her desire, and how surprised she had been at just how much it aroused her. It was the memory of that moment that made her say her next words: "What would you do if you were here, Korra?"

She heard a slight hitch in Korra's breathing. "What would I do?"

"Yes. How would you touch me?"

Korra swallowed hard, her head spinning. She pictured Asami's beautiful body, closing her eyes and imagining what might happen if she could be with the woman she loved right at that moment. The fantasy came to her easily, and she began describing it to Asami in a low, breathy voice: "I think I would start by taking you in my arms and kissing your lips. I would move away to put my lips and my tongue right on that one spot on your neck that makes you crazy…"

Much later, when Asami finally placed the phone back on the receiver that she had moved over to her bedside table, she felt no shame or embarrassment over what she and Korra had just shared. There wasn't anything wrong with wanting to physically connect with her lover even though they couldn't actually be physically together. In fact, tonight had been the closest she'd felt to Korra since she had left, and the residual effect was that she felt lighthearted and happy, albeit exhausted and ready for bed.

As she pulled back the covers and cuddled in, she brought Korra's nightshirt close to her body and sighed. She thought about the day four years ago, back when she had only just met Korra, when she had taken Korra on a ride around the satomobile test tracks and totally crushed one of her mechanics in a race. Afterwards, she had told Korra: "Well, you can't be afraid to mix it up sometimes."

That had never been truer than it was tonight, thought Asami, and she drifted off to sleep still smiling.


	15. Lab Test

Asami didn't have work the next day, but as she dressed for her trip to the lab in her factory she noticed something crinkling in the pocket of her jacket. For a moment she was confused, but then she realized what it was—it was the letter she had stolen out of the glove compartment of Tom Regent's SUM. She had completely forgotten about it. Sitting down on her bed, she pulled it out and read it. It was very short and obviously hastily written. It said:

_Tom,_

_Switch with Gan-Lan is happening ahead of schedule. Old codger can't handle it._

_Keep alert. Don't underestimate them. Contact Jon ASAP if you need anything._

_I'm proud of you,_

_Dad_

She re-read it many times, trying to glean any possible information from it. The first line didn't make very much sense to her. Switch with Gan-Lan? All she could tell was that Ron Regent and Lau Gan-Lan were definitely still working together, and probably pretty closely.

The second line seemed to indicate that Regent was going somewhere; she guessed that wherever Gan-Lan was, Ron Regent would be going there in his place. And the people Tom was not to underestimate were probably herself and Korra. As pompous as it sounded, the two of them were more dangerous to the Regent family than anyone else. If anyone was going to discover what Sen Inc was up to, it would be Asami and Korra.

Leaving the letter lying next to her phone to remind herself to tell Korra about it, she finished getting ready and headed out.

Asami parked her satomobile outside her factory and took the black SUM door out of the back seat. Her father had always insisted on Future Industries doing all their own lab testing, so there was a fully equipped scientific facility on the top floor of the building. Once she had the door out of her satomobile, she turned and looked up over the top of the building to the beam of light that was the spirit portal beyond.

The portal was visible from everywhere in the city, but here at her factory she was less than half a mile from the ground-zero crater that housed the portal. Asami had noticed that as she got closer to her factory, more and more spirits appeared around her. They began popping in to her car, sitting on the steering wheel and floating alongside her as she drove. Now that she was out of the car, the spirits were dancing and jumping around all over the sidewalk, all smiling and waving at her. "Hi, guys," she said to them.

"What's with all the spirits," asked someone behind her, the unexpected voice causing Asami to yelp in surprise. She whirled around and powered up her glove, ready for a fight, but the readiness dissolved as she saw who it was: Bolin was standing there looking around at all the glowing spirits, oblivious to how close he had just come to getting shocked with Future Industries electricity. As she took a moment to calm her racing heart, she noticed something strange about him.

"Where are your shoes?" she said.

"Chief Beifong wants me to not wear them for a while. She says it'll help me become better at seismic sensing," he explained.

"You can do that now?"

"Yeah!" said Bolin with excitement. "And that's not all; you're looking at Republic City's newest metalbender!"

"You finally learned to bend metal?"

"Yeah!"

Unable to resist, Asami said: "Prove it." And she handed him the metal SUM door.

She watched as Bolin tried valiantly to bend the door. He slapped it repeatedly with his palm, growing more and more frustrated. Finally, he threw the door to the ground in frustration and yelled, "I swear I really can do it!"

Asami burst in to laughter. "I'm just messing with you, Bolin. No one can bend those doors." She paused, then added, "Well, no one but Korra."

"I hate you," said Bolin flatly.

"I'm sorry," said Asami, but she was still laughing.

Looking for something to say to cover his embarrassment, Bolin looked around again at the spirits that moved all around them on the sidewalk. "You never answered my question. Why are all these spirits here?"

"I have no idea," answered Asami. "I assume they're here because we're so close to the portal."

"Maybe," he said. "Their footsteps cause no vibrations."

"I guess they're not corporeal. They seem to be able to come and go as they please."

"Some of the spirits I can definitely feel coming, but not these guys." He knelt down and waggled his fingers at a little group of lizard-like spirits. "Hi! Welcome to Republic City."

"So what are you doing here, Bolin? Not that I'm not happy to see you. Korra says hi, by the way," she added with a smile.

"I was just out walking around trying to toughen up the bottom of my feet." He grinned back at her. "You talked to Korra recently?"

"I talk to her every night," replied Asami.

"Aww," he said. "You guys are too cute. I'm glad to hear that though, because I haven't heard from her in a while and I was starting to get worried that it might be like last time."

"No, it's not like last time. She calls me every single night no matter how late it is. I miss her like crazy, but in some ways we're closer right now than we have ever been before."

"That's great," said Bolin. "Will you tell her to get off her lazy butt and write to me? I know you two are like soulmates or whatever, but I'm her friend and I miss her too!"

For some reason, the word "soulmate" made Asami's head spin. She had never thought to describe Korra as such, but now that Bolin said it, it rang true to her from a place deep down inside. It sounded so right; she and Korra were meant to be together because they were soulmates. A goofy grin spread over her lips.

It wasn't until about sixty seconds had gone by that she realized Bolin was waving his hand in front of her face. "Earth to Asami," he was saying. "Are you there?"

"Sorry," she said with a self-conscious chuckle. "I just kinda went somewhere else. Do you believe in destiny, Bolin?"

"Sure," answered Bolin, looking confused at the sudden change in conversation topic. "Don't you?"

"My father always said that you make your own destiny. He worked really hard for everything he had, and he didn't want me to grow up thinking that you could ever count on anything but yourself. But ever since I met Korra, I've started to believe that I'm supposed to be a part of something bigger." The spirits around them continued to dance and play as she spoke, and she looked up again at the portal above the building. "With everything that's happened here in Republic City these past few years, how could I not feel that way?"

Bolin smiled at her, thinking privately that he had never seen Asami look more beautiful than she did at that moment. Sure, in the past he had noticed the undeniable hotness that was Asami, but standing there outside her factory and seeing that smile on her face, he concluded that the reason she looked so wonderful at that moment was because she was _happy_. Before that day when he and Opal had stumbled upon Asami and Korra kissing on top of that building, he wasn't sure he'd ever seen Asami be completely, one hundred percent, totally happy.

He remembered the day in the South Pole when the two of them had both met Varrick and Zhu Li for the first time. Varrick had agreed to help Asami get her company back off the ground, and Asami had hugged him and called him a "natural assistant." Asami had obviously been pleased at that moment, but it was still overshadowed by the stress she was feeling about the future of her company.

Now, Asami appeared completely and totally at peace. She still had things she was worried about, and she was probably missing Korra a great deal, but it was almost the exact opposite of her mentality that day at the South Pole. Instead of feeling fleeting happiness in the face of greater tragedy, Asami was content with life and therefore willing and able to deal with anything else that might come along.

Seeing her this way filled him with joy. Mako always teased him about how sensitive he was, but Bolin would rather be sensitive than cold any day because keeping himself open to love returned rewards like this. Asami felt good, so Bolin felt good, and everything was just so very good.

Although, it _was_ kind of bizarre that Asami was carrying around a dismembered car door made of out unbendable metal.

"Why do you have this?" he asked, poking the object in question with one of his toes.

Asami looked at it and laughed. "It's a long story. If you're not busy, you could come in to my lab with me and I'll explain while I'm working."

She led him through the quiet factory and Bolin looked around curiously. "Where is everyone? How come nothing's being built?"

"Sen Inc has been snatching up a lot of really important reconstruction jobs," said Asami. "I've shut down most of my factories for the time being so that I can afford to outbid them on work orders. Rebuilding Republic City is a lot more important to me than putting out satomobiles right now. I'll open them back up eventually."

If she could afford to, she added privately. With the way things were looking right now, the reconstruction of Republic City would probably end up bankrupting Future Industries and come very close to bankrupting Asami Sato personally. For some reason, though, she couldn't bring herself to worry about it. It didn't matter if she lost her home and her company, because when Korra came back from Ba Sing Se, the two of them were going to live together. And she truly couldn't possibly care any less about where they actually did that. If they ended up on Air Temple Island, that would be lovely. If they ended up in the sewer community of Republic City where they had hidden from Amon four years ago, that would be lovely too. As long as she was with Korra, she didn't care.

Because Future Industries wasn't her only family anymore; now she had a partner who she loved more than life itself. The only thing she needed Future Industries for was the reconstruction of Republic City, and all the numbers she'd run so far looked promising. She was confident that she would be able to achieve that goal, as long as Sen Inc didn't have any other unexpected tricks up their sleeves.

They went up to the top level of the factory. Asami pulled out a jingling key ring that must have had at least fifty keys on it and unlocked a thick metal door. They entered in to a sort of air-lock chamber, just a small room between two thick metal doors. "It's important to keep the lab as sterile as possible. I don't have a pair of shoes for you, but put this on at least," she told him, handing him a pristine white lab coat. She pulled one on herself and tied her hair up in to a neat, jaunty ponytail. Bolin stared guiltily at her as she did it; he couldn't help it. She really was very pretty. Of course he loved Opal very much, but he was only human after all. He had to admit that Korra was a lucky woman.

After going through the second metal door in to the lab beyond, Asami flicked on all the lights and they flickered to life, illuminating the room with a momentarily-blinding whiteness. Bolin took a second to blink rapidly as his eyes adjusted, then he looked around with avid interest. The lab was fully stocked with all sorts of complicated-looking scientific equipment, and he resisted the urge to go around touching everything.

As if reading his thoughts, Asami ordered: "Sit here. Don't touch anything." She pointed at a stool near a large, empty metal table that was so clean and shiny that he wondered if it had ever even been looked at before, let alone had work done on top of it.

Asami brought the car door over to one of the corners of the lab where there was a sectioned-off platform that served to isolate the area. She secured the car door with a clamp and picked up a welding mask and a blow torch, and then she set to work cutting off a small piece of the door. Conversation was impossible over the noise, but Asami was an expert welder and she finished the job in less than ten minutes.

She brought her newly-cut sample over to the metal table and laid it down to cool, and she began telling Bolin about all the things that had happened since the day she and Korra had gone to her summer cabin. As she spoke she moved with practiced ease around the lab, assembling beakers, jars, chemicals and tools from various cabinets, drawers and closets. Bolin sat in humbled silence, listening and watching.

When she had finished her story, Bolin said: "I can't believe I had no idea that any of this was going on."

"That's pretty much how I felt about it too. When Korra told me about the SUMs in Ba Sing Se, I practically had an existential crisis. I call myself a businesswoman, but I didn't even know I had so much competition. I've been so distracted here in Republic City, designing the roads and falling in love."

"Yeah, you've got some nerve, little lady," joked Bolin. "You should stop spending so much time smooching Korra."

"I wish I could spend _any_ time smooching Korra right now," sighed Asami. "I miss her so much."

"I know you do, Asami. But you two are going to get through this. You are two of the strongest people I've ever met. You'll be fine. And you'll figure out what to do about Sen Inc and Cah-Bage Corp. I mean, just look at you! You're doing science like it isn't even hard. I can't even pronounce half this stuff, let alone know what the heck to do with it." He leaned closer and squinted at one of the bottles of chemicals that Asami had just put down on the table. "So what exactly are you doing here?"

Asami gave him a rudimentary explanation of the chemical process she was preparing for the metals, trying to dumb it down as much as possible so he would understand. Of course, Bolin wasn't stupid, but Asami knew that most people had little to no interest in the types of scientific pursuits that Asami tended to find fascinating. She explained how she hoped to use the air content of the basic minerals in the metal to ascertain what elevation the ore had been mined at, so that she could attempt to figure out where the raw materials had come from. This, she hoped, would help them figure out why only Korra was able to bend the metal.

After she had finished, Bolin stared at her with the same bewildered expression she had seen Korra wearing at her summer cabin a few weeks earlier. "Asami," he said, "you're really smart."

She smiled modestly at him and replied: "Thank you." Returning her attention to her work, she decided a change of subject was in order. "We've talked about me and Korra, but how are things with you and Opal?"

An endearingly love-struck smile spread over his face. "They're great," he answered. "Really great, actually. After Mako left she kind of moved in with me."

"What do you mean she 'kind of' moved in with you?"

"Well, she comes to my place instead of going back to Air Temple Island, so yeah we're living together, but I can't get her to agree to make it permanent."

"Why not? You two have been together for a really long time. Doesn't she love you?"

"She loves me," confirmed Bolin. "And yeah, we've been together for three years now. But Opal is worried that if she leaves Air Temple Island for good, she'll lose her standing in the Air Nation. She's very devoted to their cause."

"I don't think she has to worry about that," said Asami. "She'd still be a part of the Air Nation; she just wouldn't be living on the island with them."

"That's what I've been telling her, but she's a Beifong and you know how they are. She thinks that if she leaves just for the sake of her relationship with me, then Tenzin will see it as her being distracted. It's really about her wanting to earn Tenzin's respect. Now that he's in Ba Sing Se she feels comfortable coming to stay with me, but once he comes back she'll probably leave again."

Asami thought about the day when she had stayed on Air Temple Island just after she and Korra had just returned from the spirit world. She remembered Tenzin's blush when he had nonchalantly insinuated that Asami would be present for dinner the next night in order to quell the argument between Ikki and Meelo. It seemed obvious to Asami that Opal didn't have a very good understanding of Tenzin's loving nature.

"Bolin," she said, "did you know that after Korra left for the South Pole, I spent a lot of time over on Air Temple Island?" She looked at him, and he shook his head. "It's true. I was spending at least one night a week there. I was lonely and Air Temple Island is filled with people all the time. Over those three years, I kind of started to think of Tenzin and Pema and all the kids as family. I still think of them that way. At first I was nervous around Tenzin because he can be so stuffy and formal, but I've come to realize that he's actually very sweet."

Seeing that Bolin was giving her a skeptical look, she continued: "I know, I thought the same thing at first, but it's true. After Korra and I got together, she told him about it right away and he was incredibly supportive. He gave me an open invitation to stay with them, and he even tried to buy Korra and me more time before she had to go to the Earth Republic just because he knew that the two of us wanted to be together. If anyone understands about the blessing of love, it's Tenzin. So I really don't think Opal has to worry that Tenzin will be mad or disappointed in her if she moves in to the city with you. He will completely understand, and I bet he'll even be excited and happy for her."

"Wow," said Bolin after a long pause. "I knew he was a big softie, but I didn't know all that stuff about you and Korra. But maybe he feels differently when it's about the members of the Air Nation. I mean, he is kind of her boss in a way."

"He's not her boss, he's her mentor. Tenzin believes the Air Nation is one big family, and he wants his family to be happy." Asami reached out and put her hand on Bolin's shoulder. "Look, do you want me to talk to Opal for you? I can try and make her see sense."

Bolin considered this. "Let me talk to her first," he said. "If I can't make her change her mind, then maybe I'll have to call in some backup." He looked Asami in the eye. "Thank you, Asami. I really appreciate this. Opal is the most important thing in the world to me. It's been really hurting us both that she feels like she can't take this step. I can tell she wants to, but she also wants to be involved with the Air Nation. It's her calling, and I wouldn't _want_ to pull her away from that. If I did, then she just wouldn't be the Opal I love."

"You don't have to explain that to me, Bolin. I'm in love with the Avatar," laughed Asami. "I understand _exactly_ where you're coming from."

He joined in on her laughter. "Yeah, I guess you do, huh?"

It didn't take very much longer for Asami to finish her work. The end result was the metal sample sitting in a glass beaker, soaking in a carefully prepared, lightly fizzing chemical concoction. She stored it in a dark closet and put the rest of the SUM's door in there as well. "Now it just needs to sit for a week or so," she told Bolin. "After that I'll be able to run some tests on it."

They headed downstairs and back outside in to the sunlight. Asami offered Bolin a ride, but he suddenly stopped on the sidewalk, wiggling his toes on the pavement.

"Someone is breaking in to the lab!" he shouted, and they both turned and ran back in to the factory.

Asami took the stairs three at a time, digging out the key ring and hurriedly sorting through it as she ran. As they neared the lab's metal doors, she realized she wasn't going to find the right key in time and ordered, "Bend the doors!"

Bolin dropped down in to a wide stance and used both hands to slam on the first metal door; it flew off its hinges with a huge clatter, and he rushed forward to do the same to the second door.

They entered the lab just in time to see Tom Regent swing one of his legs over the rim of the window he had shattered to get inside, the black SUM door tucked under one of his arms. He waggled his fingers condescendingly at Asami, just as she had done to him through the window of Varrick's car. Then he swung his other leg over and jumped out the window, shooting fire from his feet to soften his landing. Bolin picked up the shiny metal table threw it after him, but Tom dodged it easily. He jumped in to his SUM and drove away, its massive tires squealing and leaving a streak of rubber on the road.

"I really hate that guy," said Asami. She turned to look at her lab, her heart sinking.

Tom Regent had probably only been in there for one or two minutes, but he'd managed to do an admirably thorough job on the lab. In addition to stealing the rest of the SUM door, he had dumped the chemical mixture that the sample had been sitting in all over the floor. Then he had used firebending to melt the sample beyond all recognition. Asami knew enough about chemistry to know that the sample was completely ruined now; its composition would be too altered by the heat to be of any use to her. For good measure, Tom had also totally destroyed all the equipment he could get his hands or his fire on. There were shards of glass, bits of machinery, and piles of black soot everywhere.

Leaning her back against a wall and sliding down to the floor, Asami put her head in her hands and tried not to cry. She felt Bolin sit next to her and put a comforting arm around her, but all she could think at that moment was how much she wished Korra was there. She could vividly imagine what Korra's arms would feel like around her, could envision how solid and strong she was, could practically smell her familiar scent. It was that thought, more than the break-in, which caused her to lose her battle against her tears.

"Hey," said Bolin, pulling her in to a hug, "it's okay."

Asami accepted his comfort, putting her head on his shoulder as she cried. "Everything is so much harder without her," she sobbed.

His heart breaking for his friend, Bolin held her tighter. "I know," he said. "But Asami, you're going to get through this. You're strong, and you're smart, and you're a great fighter. If you want to go beat that guy up to make yourself feel better, I'm with you." He was encouraged by Asami's teary laugh, so he continued talking in a low, soothing voice. "I'm sure she wishes she could be with you, too. But just think how great it will feel when you're together again! They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and they're right about that. When I was working for Kuvira and I was separated from Opal, I missed her every day. But when I got to see her, it was like I was seeing her more clearly than I ever had before. It made me appreciate her so much more, even now that we're together every day. So trust me, I know it's hard, but it will get better, and you'll be stronger as a couple for it."

The words helped Asami. She hadn't considered the fact that Bolin had been through a similar situation to her own before. "You know," she said after she had managed to calm down a bit, "we don't spend nearly enough time together."

He laughed. "That is one mistake that is easy to fix, my friend."

She dropped him off at his apartment after assuring him that she was alright, and then she headed home. Korra had told her that the convention took every seventh day off and she dearly hoped that Korra was in her room to answer the phone. After her breakdown in the lab she felt wounded and vulnerable, and she needed to hear Korra's voice so badly that it was painful.

Korra answered on the second ring, and Asami once again burst in to tears.

"What's wrong?" asked Korra, heart pounding with fear. "Asami, tell me what's wrong! Are you hurt?"

"No," said Asami. "It's nothing, I'm being stupid. I just miss you so much, Korra."

Korra had been rising out of her seat with the intention of airbending herself all the way to Republic City if that's what was necessary. But now she sank back in to her chair, her frantic terror replaced by a familiar sorrow that was her constant companion in Ba Sing Se. "I miss you too, Asami. More than I can possibly say." Then, a smile began to play over her lips. "But I have good news for you. The Bench met this morning. We're taking five days off."

Suddenly, Asami's entire world was a thousand times better. Her tears instantly evaporated. "What? When?" Her voice was filled with audible excitement.

"In a week," replied Korra, the smile stretching from ear to ear. She loved to hear Asami's mood brighten this way. "We decided that once a month, we will take a five day recess, and in a week it'll have been a month."

"You don't have to remind me of that, Korra. I've been counting the hours since you left."

"Me too. So Tenzin already talked to Pema, everyone's coming here to visit. Will you…"

"Yes!" shouted Asami before Korra could even finish. "Yes, I'll come!"

Laughing, Korra replied, "Great."

"I can't wait, Korra. What am I going to do with myself for an entire week?"

"Beats me," said Korra. "I'm not sure how I'm going to be able to sit through another week of this convention knowing that you're going to be here so soon. I'm so excited." She shifted in her chair, unable to sit still. She was already thinking ahead to the moment when she would finally be reunited with Asami. "Talk to me about something else, Asami. Otherwise I might get my glider and come home right now."

"Why would I talk to you about something else if it's going to keep you away from me?" said Asami, light-headed with giddiness.

"Come on," begged Korra. "What made you call me just now? Why were you crying?"

"Oh, right. I actually have kind of bad news for you." She relayed the story about Tom Regent destroying her lab and stealing the metal. She also told her about the letter that Ron Regent had written his son. "So now I can't give you any information about the metal," she concluded. The feelings of sorrow that had overtaken her at the lab were completely gone, obliterated in the face of her upcoming visit with Korra. The memory of the day was now shrouded in brightness, and it seemed unreal that she had been so sad only minutes ago.

"Bummer," said Korra. "I'd break off someone's mirror and send you a new sample, but you'll be here by the time it arrives in Republic City."

"My lab is trashed anyway." After considering her options, Asami suggested: "Actually, I could try and contact my old geology professor at Ba Sing Se University and see if she'd let me use her lab. Then we could get a new sample and I could run the tests there."

"That's a good idea. That way I'll be around to protect it while we wait."

"Are you sure about that?" said Asami coyly. "Because _I'm_ pretty sure you'll be busy with other things while I'm in town."

"Oh, I hope you're right about that." Korra's voice was low and breathy, and hearing it made Asami's pulse race.

"I am," she promised.

"I'm holding you to it, Sato. The walls here are made of thick stone; a person would have to be able to seismic sense to overhear anything."

When they hung up, Asami felt too excited to spend the night alone in her mansion so she packed a bag and headed to Air Temple Island. As she climbed out of her speedboat, Jinora and Kai alighted on the docks, having seen her approach from the air. "Hello," she greeted them cheerfully, giving them both hugs.

"Someone's happy," teased Jinora. "I guess you heard about the break."

"I sure did," said Asami. "Are you excited to see your dad?"

"Yeah," replied Jinora as they headed up to the house. "But maybe not as excited as you are to see Korra."

"Is it really that obvious?" Asami tried to feel embarrassed, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She was just too darn happy.

"Yes, but also the spirits are really hyped up too." Jinora waved her hand and all the dancing, happy spirits that had been in front of the factory earlier materialized around Asami.

She stared at them in incredulity. "I can't believe it. Why did they stay with me?"

"What do you mean?"

"These guys were outside my factory earlier. I thought they were hanging around there because it's so close to the portal, but now they're here too. What do they want?"

Kai looked around at the spirits. All they were doing was exhibiting jollity and playing around with each other. "It doesn't look like they want anything," he observed.

"They don't," confirmed Jinora. "They always hang around you, Asami. I told you before that they like you, don't you remember?"

"I remember," said Asami. "But I thought they were just there that one night because I was with Korra, and they were happy because of that."

"Nuh-uh," said Jinora as they entered the house. "They're usually with you. I can't believe you didn't know."

"How could I have known?" Asami was totally bewildered, but at the same time, she was flattered. She knelt down and the spirits all gathered in front of her. "Thank you for keeping me company, my friends," she said to them.

They pressed closer and gave her hugs, and Asami could feel their little arms around her legs, arms, head and neck where they were all crowding around to embrace her. She remembered Bolin saying that the spirits made no vibrations, but these spirits were decidedly corporeal. "How come I can touch them?" she asked Jinora once she had straightened up.

"The spirits can travel freely between the worlds without using a portal, but it takes a lot of energy for them to become corporeal here. They only do it for a really good reason."

"Apparently, giving you a hug is a good enough reason," said Kai.

"They more than like you, Asami," said Jinora. "They _love_ you."

Once again Asami was flattered, and she was filled warmth. What could have been a dark, lonely day was instead turning in to one of the happiest of her life. Even without Korra she was surrounded by people she cared about, and who cared about her. She had become so much closer to Bolin today, and now she was on Air Temple Island with the people who she considered to be her family. And, as it turned out, she was never actually alone. The spirits loved her, and as she looked at their adorable faces, she realized how much she loved them, too.


	16. Article 8

Every seventh day the representatives in Ba Sing Se took a break, using the time to rest and regroup before returning to work on the new government they were building. Three weeks after their arrival in Ba Sing Se, after Korra had attended the Bench meeting where she learned about the upcoming five-day break, Genly and Haku Ai dropped by to talk Korra's ear off about many of the subjects they were interested in. Korra, Mako, and the two brothers were seated in Korra's room sipping steaming hot tea and lounging around. Korra had just finished telling them the story of Wan, the very first Avatar.

"Unbelievable," said Haku with awe. "What an incredible story."

"It is," agreed Korra. "I was grateful to learn it. It helped me overcome a lot of the turmoil I was going through."

"I'm sure it did." Haku was silent for a long moment, sipping thoughtfully from his tea. Korra waited for him to say something else, certain that he would begin asking questions any time now. Sure enough, he eventually launched in to an interrogation. "So Harmonic Convergence happens every ten thousand years, correct?"

"Correct."

"And in the Harmonic Convergence ten thousand years ago, Wan and Raava used the spiritual energy of the event to fuse permanently, destined to be bound lifetime after lifetime, creating the cycle of the Avatar. Correct?"

"Correct."

"And when this last Harmonic Convergence happened, Raava was ripped from you and destroyed, severing your connection to your past lives. Correct?"

"Correct," said Korra again, this time with sadness in her voice.

"But then you re-fused with Raava, making you the Avatar again. Correct?"

"Correct."

"So then, doesn't it stand to reason that _you_ are the first Avatar, Korra?"

Korra gave him a funny look. "Haku, there have been tons of Avatars before me. How could I be the first?"

"I kind of see his point," said Mako. "Without your past lives, you are the first in a way. Those other Avatars are gone for good. Now there's only you. It's like the entire cycle began anew, with a new first Avatar."

"Right," said Haku. "And when it's time for Raava to move on, the new Avatar will have only _you_ for guidance. None of those other past lives will be there at all. Ten thousand years down the line, when it's time for the next Harmonic Convergence, who knows what will happen? Maybe the Avatar at that time will see _your_ story as the story of the first Avatar."

"I don't envy the next Avatar, having only me as guidance," said Korra.

"On the contrary, I think the next Avatar will be very lucky," said Haku. "You have discovered more about ways of the Avatar than any other in recent history. From what it sounds like, you've connected with Raava more deeply than any Avatar since Wan."

Sitting back in her chair, Korra considered that statement. She thought about the first time she had ever gone in to the Avatar state, on the cliff-side after Amon had taken three of her elements away. Before that moment, she hadn't understood what gave her the power to bend all four elements. It was only during her time in the South Pole with Unalaq that she had really learned about the spiritual portions of her own identity. When Raava had been ripped from her during Harmonic Convergence, she had never felt more painfully alone. It felt as though Unalaq had reached inside of her and torn her own heart out. And when the comforting warmth of Raava had been returned to her, she could have cried for joy.

She suddenly understood why she often thought of Raava when she was with Asami. It was because Raava _was_ love. Deep inside of her, she was forever fused with the essence of everything that was good, light and love. She didn't know how ordinary people experienced love, but she suspected it probably had something to do with Raava, even for them. But Korra was Raava's chosen, and so she was the one who was responsible for making sure the world was still a place where Raava could exist. In return, she was granted the gift of Raava's presence, a constant connection that manifested itself in wonderful ways Korra could barely even describe.

"You know, I only asked my past lives for guidance twice before I was severed from them. Once when I had been captured by Tarrlok, and again the very first time I went in to the Avatar state," said Korra.

"At the South Pole, right?" guessed Mako.

"Yes. Amon had taken my bending away and I was feeling very low. Then Aang came to me and he restored my bending, and connected me to my past lives." She stood and walked to the window, which looked out over the entire city of Ba Sing Se. "I lost them pretty soon after that, but I gained something better. I gained Raava. It took me some time to understand it, but ever since I reconnected with her after I was poisoned, Raava has guided me. She is always with me now. I feel her warmth and light inside of me all the time." She turned and looked at Genly. "Genly, when you came to Republic City, I felt a connection to Aang. But it didn't come from Aang, it came from Raava. She is still connected to him, I know she is. And since Raava is a part of me, in a way, I _am_ still connected to my past lives."

"Interesting," said Haku. "Very interesting."

"Do you think your newfound bond with Raava makes you a stronger Avatar?" asked Genly.

"Yes," answered Korra without hesitation. "Raava has taught me that being the Avatar isn't just about being able to kick butt in a fight. It's about being a guide for humanity through all kinds of situations. I'm here in Ba Sing Se because of her."

There was a knock on Korra's door. Mako was sitting closest to it so he rose and let Tenzin and Tonraq in. "Hi guys," greeted Korra.

"Good afternoon. We thought we would drop by and see what you were up to, but we didn't realize you had company," said Tonraq.

"It's alright; you're welcome to join us. Here Dad, you can have my seat." She stood and moved to sit on the bed instead. Mako offered Tenzin his chair and sat next to Korra.

"Korra was just telling us about the story of the first Avatar, and about Raava," said Haku.

With so many people now in the room, Korra was really hoping to change the subject. The only two people she had ever felt truly comfortable talking about Avatar stuff to were Tenzin and Asami, and even Tenzin didn't know most of the things she had told Asami. "Look, not to be a downer, but all that stuff about Raava is kind of personal. I mean, she is _literally_ a part of me."

"It's alright, Korra," Haku hastened to reply. "I apologize for overstepping my boundaries."

"No, it's totally fine. But let's maybe talk about something else."

"Did Wu tell you what's on the agenda for tomorrow?" Tonraq asked Mako, seamlessly bringing the conversation to more neutral grounds as only a lifelong diplomat could do.

"Yes, actually, and I'm glad you brought it up," said Mako. "I think it should be one heck of a day. Some of the representatives from the south-eastern states are planning to introduce an article which would limit the terms of domestic partnership to include only multi-gender couples."

" _What?_ " snapped Korra, Genly, Haku, Tenzin and Tonraq angrily at the same time.

Holding his hands up in capitulation, Mako said: "Hey, don't shoot the messenger! I'm just telling you what Wu told me. It'll be known as Article 8."

"Which states are planning to support it?" inquired Tenzin.

"There are only a few. I think the submission has only fifteen or so co-signers, but one of them is definitely Jon Regent of Gethen." Mako looked at the Ai brothers. "But your fourth rep hasn't said one way or another."

"I'm assuming you two are against Article 8?" said Tonraq.

"Naturally," confirmed Haku easily.

Korra studied Genly's face; he was gazing out the window with a little frown on his lips. "What about your fourth?" she asked. "What's his name again?"

"His name is Therem Harth," said Genly.

Still watching him closely, she pressed on: "Do you think he will support it?"

Genly shrugged. "It's difficult to say. A year ago, I would have said no. But now I'm not so sure."

"Either way," said Mako, "we're pretty sure it won't have enough general support to pass. It'll probably just eat up a day of our time and then be trashed for lack of interest."

The conversation moved on to other topics that might hit the floor of the convention in the upcoming week, and from there they began discussing their favorite hot spots in Ba Sing Se, which led to the group dispersing for the evening. Korra noticed that Genly remained withdrawn for the rest of the conversation, and as everyone rose, she approached him and casually asked, "Hey, I was wondering, do you wanna practice metalbending together before dinner?"

He smiled kindly at her. "How could I turn down an opportunity to practice bending with the Avatar herself?"

They headed out to the practice courtyard where there were many other benders showing off their skills. One particular fight had gathered a large ring of onlookers. "What's going on?" asked Korra.

"Those are Jin and Shi, two of the reps from Gaoling, the birthplace of Toph Beifong," explained Genly. "Many people in the Earth Republic believe that Gaoling produces the finest earthbenders."

Korra and Genly watched as the two earthbenders went toe to toe, throwing enormous rocks at an impressive speed, but they didn't strike Korra as being particularly talented. "I don't get it," she said. "What's so special about them?"

One of the onlookers standing in front of them laughed, overhearing her comment. Without turning around, he said: "You think you could beat an earthbender from the home state of the greatest earthbender to ever live?"

"I think I could beat _both_ of those guys at the _same time_ ," responded Korra, and then everyone in the vicinity turned to look at her.

"Oh," said the onlooker who had spoken before, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was you, Avatar Korra."

"I don't think you guys really understand what makes someone a good earthbender," said Korra. "They're just tossing big rocks around. Big deal."

By this time, the two representatives from Gaoling had stopped sparring and were listening to the conversation with interest. "I'd offer to fight you," said the one named Jin, "but it hardly seems like a fair fight. Of course I can't beat the Avatar."

Genly stepped forward. "She's right though. You don't understand the true nature of an earthbender. I will fight you. Then we will see who is right."

"And who are you?" asked the representative.

"I am Genly Ai, a representative of the state of Gethen. I recently took lessons with Lin Beifong, the eldest daughter of Toph Beifong. She taught me the methods of her mother, and I will show you what real earthbending looks like." He looked around to see if there were any objections, and when he saw none, he looked back at the representatives from Gaoling. "I will fight both of you. And I will do it blindfolded."

Ignoring the murmurings of the crowd, Genly knelt down and removed his shoes. Then he straightened, pulled a blindfold out of his pocket, and secured it tightly around his head. He walked forward confidently; people got out of his way, but Korra suspected that it wasn't necessary for them to do so. Genly seemed perfectly aware of everything around him. Stopping a fair distance from the two representatives from Gaoling, he bowed respectfully. The two men did the same. Then, without warning, they both attacked.

Jin started by stomping his foot, which raised a boulder in to the air in front of him. He cocked his fist and sent it flying directly at Genly's face, but by the time it got to him, Genly had ducked down in a graceful movement that both dodged Jin's attack and countered Shi's. Shi's first attack had been a kick which sent a wave of earth at the blindfolded Genly, but he simply swept his leg out and reversed its direction. The result was that the wave knocked Shi's feet right out from under him, and he fell with an audible grunt flat on to his back, the wind completely gone from his lungs. Meanwhile, Jin had thrown a couple more rocks at Genly, but he easily moved away from them. Once Shi had gone down, Jin took a step forward to put power behind a punch, but while one of his feet was in the air, Genly bent the ground beneath the other. Jin lost his balance and fell on his behind.

The fight was over in less than thirty seconds. Genly had earthbent only twice.

Silence fell over the practice courtyard as Genly straightened up, removed the blindfold, and returned to Korra's side to replace his shoes. "Earthbenders need a firm stance," said Korra in to the silence. She widened her own stance to demonstrate. "It's easier to put power behind a move like this, and it's harder to be unseated. Jin and Shi, you went down because you gave Genly too many openings to break your stance, and once he could do that, the fight was over."

"But he couldn't even see!" exclaimed one onlooker.

"Neither could Toph," replied Korra.

"Earthbending is not only about fighting," said Genly. "It is about your connection to the earth. Your stance is your connection. Lose it, and you lose all your power."

Several of the earthbenders in the courtyard were nodding their agreement and understanding. The representatives from Gaoling rose to their feet, and Genly turned to face them and bowed again. After a moment, they returned the bow.

Then Korra and Genly moved to a different area of the courtyard and began practicing using metal wires to lasso each other. As they worked, the rest of the earthbenders gradually resumed their activities, and soon enough hardly anyone was paying attention to them. Korra and Genly's practice began to dissolve in to play time—they started to tease each other, then Korra heard Genly's hearty laughter for the first time ever when she managed to wrap a wire around his ankle and tug him mercilessly to the ground.

By the time the sun began to set, Korra felt she had a much better understanding of Genly Ai. Playing together in the courtyard had solidified the mutual trust between them. It was strange how sparring with someone could do that, thought Korra, and remembered training with Asami here in this exact same courtyard three years earlier. Of course, she didn't have any long term plans to fall in love with Genly Ai the way she had with Asami Sato, but she couldn't deny that she felt a comradery with him.

They collapsed side-by-side on the grass to catch their breath, and Korra looked at Genly as he took a swig from a canteen of water. "So who's Therem Harth?" she asked.

Genly sighed. "I knew you were going to ask about him."

"Then you should have an answer already prepared. Let's hear it."

"Alright," he said. "The funny thing is that even if I hadn't known you were going to ask about Therem, I would still know exactly where to start. Therem and his family moved in to the house next door to mine when we were both still infants. I've known him for as long as I can remember. We grew up together. We were best friends from the moment we met. Haku is twelve years younger than me, so I still remember very clearly the day he was born. The day I met Haku is also the day I realized that Therem was something very different to me than Haku was."

"What do you mean?" asked Korra.

"Everyone for the first twelve years of my life had made comments about how Therem and I were like brothers. We were very close and we did everything together. I assumed that they were right; I did have strong feelings about Therem and I wanted to be with him all the time. But when Haku was born, I realized those feelings about Therem were not brotherly at all."

Korra nodded her understanding. "You loved him."

"Yes," confirmed Genly.

"Did he love you?"

"Not at first, I don't think." Genly smiled, obviously remembering something very special from his past. "I didn't have the courage to tell him until we were sixteen. He didn't have the courage to respond until we were eighteen. We both went to the university here in Ba Sing Se, and needless to say, it was an eye-opener. I don't think either of us realized we weren't the only men in the world who felt this way. It made it easier for me and Therem, especially since our families were still in Gethen. I told Haku once he was old enough to understand, but only because I knew that he would be both accepting and discrete. Haku was always a special boy; he's always been very in tune with the spiritual parts of the world. I knew he would see that our love was true and natural. But other than that, we told no one back home. Therem especially was adamant that no one should know.

"Both of our families are wealthy," continued Genly. "My father earned his money in the shipping business, but Therem's family inherited its money from many generations back. The Harths are significantly wealthier than my family, and they have a longstanding tradition of being involved with Gethen's politics. You cannot appreciate the difference between old money and new money until you see it firsthand. Every ideological difference between what Haku and I believe versus what Jon Regent supporters believe can be traced back to the age of their wealth.

"So that is why, when Therem's father died one year ago and he inherited his family's wealth, he ended things between us." Genly's words caught in his throat, and he had to take a moment to compose himself.

"Oh, Genly, I'm so sorry," said Korra, and she truly meant it. She imagined what she would feel like if Asami ever stopped wanting to be with her, and just the thought alone was enough to cause tears to prickle behind her eyes. Reaching over, she patted Genly's shoulder in comfort.

"Thank you," he said. "We had been together for almost fifteen years, but in a way it was longer. It came as a huge shock to me; I'd never even once considered the possibility that we wouldn't continue to grow old together. He'd been with me for as long as I could remember. I hardly knew who I was without him."

"So what did you do?"

"I followed him home, of course," replied Genly with a little chuckle. "He had gone back to Gethen to take up his father's position in Gethen state politics, and I decided to get involved alongside Haku, who was also back from Ba Sing Se. We had been studying new progressive ideas there, and I felt that they were my only hope at getting Therem back. If I can convince the constituents in Gethen that same-sex relationships are normal and legitimate, then I might still have a chance to convince the other half of my soul to come back to me."

As she listened, Korra felt familiar warmth wash over her; Raava was stirring inside her, roused by Genly's story. _I know, Raava_ , thought Korra. _Don't worry, I've got this one_.

"Genly," she said, and he looked up at her. "I am the Avatar. I came to the Earth Republic because it is my responsibility to maintain balance in this world. If Raava has taught me anything, it's that love _is_ balance. I am in a unique position to help on this particular issue. You met Asami, you saw how gorgeous she is, right? You're crazy if you think I'm going to let a couple of rich people from the Earth Republic tell me it's not right for me to love her."

She was pleased when Genly laughed. "She is very beautiful, although I have to admit, she's not really my type."

"No big deal. You're not exactly hers, either. She tends to prefer people who are me."

"She is very lucky to have you, Korra."

"Thank you," said Korra. "But I'm definitely the lucky one."

Later, when she talked to Asami on the phone and told her Genly's story, Asami said: "Korra, if you let that stupid Article 8 pass, I'm going to kick your butt when I get to Ba Sing Se."

"Don't worry, my darling Awesami," replied Korra with a laugh, "if Article 8 passes, I'm pretty sure Raava will have me Avatar-stating the whole palace down."

Article 8 did not pass, but it was debated for several irritating hours. The loudest voice on the pro side was, of course, Jon Regent. But it was his own outrage that finally gave Korra the opportunity to finish the subject for good.

"We cannot condone same-sex relationships in the Earth Kingdom. It is an affront against the spirits _and_ humanity!" Jon Regent yelled angrily.

"You think so?" replied Korra coldly from her seat on the Bench. "Because I'm the Avatar, the bridge between both the human _and_ the spirit world. I'm part spirit myself, and I also happen to be in a committed, long-term same-sex relationship."

The Earth Republic representatives in the main chamber burst in to a variety of responses. The loudest reaction was applause. Some laughed. A few said, "Me too!" and a few more said, "I knew it!" Hardly anyone seemed to have anything negative to say.

Wu banged his gavel loudly and cried, "Order! Order in the chamber!" but he was unable to hide his amused smile. To her right, Korra saw Tenzin beaming at her. Her father put a proud arm around her and gave her an affectionate squeeze. It was one of the best moments of Korra's life, and she wished dearly that Asami could have been there to see it.

The debate about Article 8 was ended mere moments later when a representative from the state of Pachi moved to dismiss, and representative Therem Harth of Gethen seconded the motion, and several states jumped up simultaneously to third and forth the motion. Wu banged his gavel and declared: "Article 8 is dismissed."

There was another round of applause in the chamber, and then the representatives got back to work.

Late that night, a nervous Therem Harth paced back and forth and debated knocking on a particular door in the Earth Palace until it finally opened to reveal a barefoot Genly Ai. His eyes were filled with tears.

"Don't hide from me, Therem," he said.

"No more hiding, Genly," Therem replied. "Never again."

He pushed Genly back in to his room and shut the door behind them.


	17. Asami's Longest Week Ever

A week had never seemed so long before. Every morning, Asami went to work and tried to lose track of time, but she couldn't help frequently glancing at her watch. Luckily, there really was a lot to be done before she left for Ba Sing Se. A week was short notice in her line of work, so she was trying to get everything ready for her upcoming five-day absence.

Three days after hearing about the break, she received the letter that Korra had mentioned to her. On her lunch break, she went to Avatar Korra Park and sat alone to read it. It said:

_Dear Asami,_

_I had a dream about you last night. We were in the spirit world, and you looked over at me and you smiled, and I saw Raava in you. When I woke up I knew that Raava had given me the dream, because she was warming me from head to toe, just lying there in my bed._

_I think about you a lot, I think you should know that. I've even had dreams about you before. Sometimes I have dreams where we're just taking a drive around Republic City, or sometimes I'll dream that you, me, Mako and Bolin are laughing together like old times. Most of the time, I have dreams about making love to you, and those make me feel warm in my bed, too._

_But the dream last night felt different. It wasn't about sex. It was about Raava's light._

_When I re-connected with Raava in the spirit world, I made a promise to myself that I would always appreciate her and listen to her guidance. And I think she's guiding me to you, Asami._

_I hope this doesn't confuse you or creep you out. It's hard for me to explain with words the way that it feels to be bonded with the spirits. All I can say is that what you and I have together feels right. It feels a lot like balance._

_Yours,_

_Korra_

For a long time, Asami could only sit on the park bench and read the letter over and over. She felt so unbelievably blessed. While she knew that Korra loved her, hearing Korra talk about their relationship in connection to her Avatar spirituality felt to Asami as if it indicated a richness and permanence beyond that which she could ever have hoped for. Her own recent thoughts about destiny and her new-found closeness with the spirits in Republic City only amplified the joy within her. There was now no doubt about it in her mind: Korra was Asami's destiny.

As she sat there sniffling, some butterfly spirits materialized around her and settled peacefully on the letter, content to just be there. A small child walked by holding his father's hand and pointed at Asami and the visiting spirits. "Why is the pretty spirit lady crying?" asked the child. The father looked mortified.

"Don't worry," said Asami. "I'm not crying anymore." She gave him a bright smile, and he smiled back. The spirits sitting on Korra's letter fluttered over to the child, and he giggled as he resumed his walk. Eventually, the spirits returned to Asami, sitting on her hand. "Thank you," she said to them. "I'm okay now."

They fluttered around her as she stood, ready to head back to work. But she hadn't taken more than three steps when she saw Tom Regent leaning against the statue of Korra, smirking at her. "Bad news from your girlfriend?" he said.

Asami had to give him credit; the guy was gutsy. But on the other hand, he could just be exceedingly stupid. At Korra's urging she had gone to Lin Beifong after Tom had trashed her lab, but as of yet the RCPD had been unable to apprehend him. They had gone to the apartment at the address listed on the letter that Asami had stolen from his car and found it empty. The RCPD was staking it out, but Tom had not returned to it. Even Asami hadn't seen him for several days and she had started to wonder if maybe he hadn't given up on following her. But now here he was in the middle of Avatar Korra park, looking like he didn't have a care in the world.

"Good news, actually," she said. "You're still stalking me? Haven't you already gotten what you need? I can't do any tests on your stupid cars."

"I'm just following orders." He looked her up and down in a way that made Asami feel distinctly uncomfortable. "Anyway, the view's not so bad."

Ignoring that, she said: "Well, you'd better pack your bags then, because we've got a long trip ahead of us."

"I figured as much. I'm okay with it. Ba Sing Se is home, after all."

"Your daddy's not there anymore, though. He went somewhere else, right?"

Tom shrugged. "I don't know. We're not very close. That letter you stole is the first I've heard from him in years."

"Somehow, I don't believe you." Asami was waiting for Tom to get to the point. Obviously he had revealed himself to her for some reason, and she guessed it wasn't because he wanted to chit chat with her.

He looked at all the butterfly spirits that were still flitting around Asami. "What's up with them?" he asked nonchalantly.

Shrugging, Asami decided she didn't have time for this and began walking away. "They like me," she replied, and when she left the park, he did not follow her. She walked briskly, hoping to encounter a police officer, but there were none nearby. By the time she got to a phone to call Beifong, Regent had disappeared again.

Finally, the work week ended and Asami went home to her mansion to pack for her trip, so excited that she was practically bouncing around her bedroom. Her plan was to spend the night at Air Temple Island, then she, Pema, the kids, and Bolin would all board one of Future Industry's luxury airships before dawn. They would be in Ba Sing Se by mid-afternoon.

The sun was setting as she crossed the bay in her speedboat and headed up to the main house, which was, as usual, alive with activity. "Hello, dear," said a hassled Pema as she ran after a butt-naked Rohan who had obviously escaped during bath time.

"Hi, Pema. Need some help?"

"That would be lovely."

Together, they managed to trap Rohan in a room, then corner and capture him. Pema scooped him up in a blanket and put on his pajamas before releasing him once again. With that finished, she straightened up, stretched her back, and turned to Asami. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Sure," replied Asami.

They went to the kitchen and puttered about in casual harmony. This was a routine which was very practiced between the two of them. Every time Asami came here, she shared a cup of tea and conversation with the motherly Pema. Once they were seated comfortably at the table, Pema gave her a wicked smile and asked, "So, on a scale of one to ten, how excited are you?"

"Um, I think I'm probably at about a fifteen at this point," laughed Asami. "I can't believe it's only been a month since I've seen her. It feels like forever."

"I know. But you've been keeping in contact, right?"

"Yes, definitely. We talk every day. And I got a letter from her a couple days ago, too." Thinking about the letter brought a sweet smile to her face, and Pema watched her closely.

"What's that smile about?" she teased.

"The letter was… It was really nice." She wondered how much she felt comfortable sharing. Pema was one of her closest confidantes. They had talked about some very personal topics in the past. Finally, she decided on asking: "You've talked to Katara about her relationship with Aang, right?"

"A little," said Pema. "She's pretty open about it, but I think there are some things that I could just never understand. You know, Asami, if you have questions about Avatar things, I could give her a call and introduce you to her."

It was an interesting idea, and Asami considered it very carefully. She had questions, to be sure, but she didn't want to impose on Katara. "Do you think she would mind?"

"Not at all," Pema said sincerely. "If there's one topic Katara never minds discussing, it's love."

Ten minutes later, Pema and Asami were sitting in the telephone room, Asami nervously wringing one of her gloves as she listened to Pema exchange small talk with her mother-in-law. Finally, Pema said, "Well Mom, I have someone who would really like to talk to you, if you don't mind. It's Korra's friend Asami, do you remember her?" There was a silence as she listened to Katara's response, then she said: "I thought you might say that. Here she is."

She handed the receiver to Asami before leaving the room, waving away Asami's silent "thank you." Asami turned her attention to the phone. "Hello, Katara? This is Asami Sato. Thank you for agreeing to speak with me."

"No problem, child," replied Katara warmly. "I had a feeling I would be hearing from you one of these days."

"You did?" asked Asami in surprise.

"Oh yes. You should have heard the way Korra talked about you while she was recovering here in the South Pole. From the way it sounded, she loves you very much."

"I love her very much, too," replied Asami. "But we weren't even together yet when she was down there."

"Maybe so, but I still heard a lot about you. I know all about how cool you are, and how much you kick butt, and how you run Future Industries all by yourself."

They were obviously direct quotes from Korra, and Asami blushed to hear them repeated by the distinguished and honored Katara. "Sorry you had to hear all that. I had no idea she talked about me at all."

"Oh, she talked about all of her friends, but she talked about you the most, and in a different way than she did everyone else. But don't be sorry, it warms my old heart to hear it. People may think there is only one Avatar, but people like you and I know that it's really a team effort. I'm happy to hear that Korra has someone to love and who loves her."

"Actually," said Asami, "that's kind of why I'm calling. I'm sorry if this is too personal, but I was wondering: Did Aang ever talk to you about Raava?"

"That's an interesting question," said Katara. "Korra shared with me what she learned about the first Avatar, but Aang never knew that story. He mostly sought guidance from his past lives, not Raava. But if Raava is responsible for the Avatar's powers, then she must have been inside of him, too. I suppose the answer is no, he did not ever talk about that part of him. He was spiritual, of course, but just not in that way."

"Maybe his relationship with Raava manifested itself in other ways though. Korra said that Raava was _guiding_ her to me. Did Aang ever say anything like that?"

Katara thought back to her years with her beloved husband, starting all the way back with discovering him in the iceberg almost a lifetime ago. "I think that he believed we were meant to be together, like it was our destiny," she said finally. "He certainly never had any interest in anyone else." It had been many years since she had cried for Aang, but the conversation was stirring a storm lose within her.

Hearing the tears in her voice, Asami said: "I'm sorry, Katara. I didn't mean to make you remember sad things."

"They aren't sad things, my dear, they're happy things. I will never regret the years I spent with Aang."

It was the same basic concept that Korra had expressed in her letter, that the two of them were connected, and that they were meant to be. Satisfied with Katara's answer, she changed the subject.

"Pema said that you were often separated from him while he was off doing Avatar stuff. How did you cope with that?"

Wiping her eyes, Katara responded: "It wasn't easy. But I had the children and I was teaching waterbending, so I had my own life here while he had his own there. Of course I wished he didn't have to go, but keeping a home for him to come back to was the best thing I could do for him."

"That's pretty much how I've been feeling about it," agreed Asami. "Korra is in Ba Sing Se right now for the constitutional convention, and I've been focusing my energies on rebuilding Republic City. I think it's the right thing for me to do right now. I miss her a lot, but I know it's for the best."

"It is, but it doesn't make it easier. I know that better than anyone. But at least nowadays you have these newfangled telephones and airships. Back in my day we had to send letters, and if you wanted to fly somewhere, you needed an air bison or a war balloon!"

Asami considered herself to be on the cutting edge of technology, so it was with great sympathy that she said: "I can't even imagine. It must have been so hard for you."

"Yes, well, if there's one thing that's nice about separations, it's being re-united. When do you think Korra will be back?"

"Actually," said Asami, unable to hold back her smile, "I'm leaving tomorrow to go visit her."

"That's wonderful, dear. I'm sure you'll have a lovely time."

"I'm sure I will too." Before ending the phone call, Asami had one other thing she wanted to talk to Katara about. "Katara, Korra told me something that I thought you might like to hear. You know how her connection to her past lives was severed?"

"Yes, I know."

"Well, before she left for Ba Sing Se, she told me she saw a vision that must have come from Aang. She said she saw Republic City the way Aang dreamed it. So I don't think her connection to him is totally severed. I think she can still reach him through Raava."

There was a long silence, so long that Asami wondered if she'd been wrong to tell that to Katara. But finally, she head Katara say, in a very quiet voice: "Thank you for telling me that, Asami. That makes me very happy."

Later, while Asami was lying in Korra's bed on Air Temple Island, too excited to sleep, she tried to put herself in Katara's position. If Korra were to die before her, then she, too, might have the opportunity to speak with the next Avatar and possibly the next Avatar's partner. She thought the feeling must be so bittersweet. But Asami suspected that Katara was like her; she loved Aang because Aang was the Avatar, which meant that she shared the same ideals of balance in the world. If she outlived Korra, Asami was certain that she would give the new Avatar whatever help she could, if only just to feel connected to that greater purpose again.

At some point she must have dozed off, because next thing she knew, the air acolytes were ringing the pre-dawn wake-up gong. She practically jumped out of bed, threw on her clothes, and headed out to the airship to wait for the rest of the group. Of course she was the first one to arrive, and she paced back and forth to kill time, too filled with energy to stand still.

Pema and the kids appeared, and she hugged them good morning. Now the only one missing was Bolin, who was on his way over on the ferry. Eventually Jinora grew tired of waiting, so she hopped on her air bison and flew over to the boat, picking up Bolin off its deck. They flew back over and the whole group climbed on to the airship.

To pass the time, Asami and Bolin sat together at a table and played Pai Sho. In order to even the playing field, Asami agreed to play by Bolin's rules, which only allowed ten seconds for the player to make a move. It didn't make very much of a difference, though, and Asami continued to beat him handily game after game. Eventually, they returned to Asami's method which required careful thought and strategy. After she had beaten Bolin for the tenth time, he declared he needed a break. "My ego can only take so much," he complained. Pema brought them cups of hot tea before heading off to take a nap, and Asami and Bolin chatted as they enjoyed it. "So guess what?" Bolin said, looking like the cat-frog that ate the canary-parrot.

"What?" replied Asami.

"Opal finally said yes."

Asami studied his happy expression, and broke in to a huge grin. "You're moving in together?"

"Yes, we are officially moving in together," confirmed Bolin.

"That's great!" exclaimed Asami. "I'm so glad to hear she changed her mind."

"We have you to thank for that," said Bolin. "I told her what you said about Tenzin, and she realized you're right about him. I'm going to tell him about it while we're in Ba Sing Se."

"I'm sure he'll be happy for you." She cleared her throat and then confessed: "Actually, Korra and I are probably going to do that soon, too."

"What, talk to Tenzin?" asked Bolin in confusion.

"No, I mean that once Korra comes back from Ba Sing Se, we're going to live together," she clarified.

"Oh, that makes way more sense." A huge grin plastered itself on Bolin's expressive face. "That's awesome!"

"Thank you," said Asami. "It's too bad Opal couldn't come with us."

"Yeah, there's just too much going on with the Air Nation right now. Plus we got a letter from Haku Ai; he's coming to Republic City during the break because he wants to go in to the spirit world."

"Really? Is he going alone?"

"Yeah. Apparently something happened to make Genly not want to leave Ba Sing Se, so Haku is going alone. He said in the letter that he's always wanted to go, and he feels like something is drawing him there. Anyway, he's just going to do a little exploring before he heads back to Ba Sing Se. Opal is going to meet up with him before he leaves, though."

"Well," said Asami with a little smile, "I know better than anyone that the spirit world is a wonderful place to spend a vacation."

Although, she added privately, she might just think that because of the company she had kept there.


	18. Reunion

The ten hours it took to get to Ba Sing Se felt like another week to Asami. She found herself staring out the window, willing the clouds to part and reveal the Earth Palace. Nothing else could hold her attention; Bolin and Jinora were playing each other in Pai Sho, Pema was napping and the younger kids were off exploring the airship, but Asami just sat and stared out the window, counting down the minutes until she would see Korra again.

She wondered if she would be able to see Korra on the ground from the airship. Would Korra be there to greet them when they landed? What would they do when they saw each other again? As the moment came closer and closer, she felt that she could barely breathe through her anticipation.

Finally, she felt her ears pop: the zeppelin was descending at last. They eased down below the clouds and Asami could see the Earth Palace looming ahead, huge and ornate even from this distance. Pressing her nose against the window, Asami watched as it came closer and closer, scouring the ground around it with astute green eyes. As their proximity to the ground increased, she was able to spot little dots that could only be people. They were congregated in various places throughout the courtyard, but she noticed one spot that people were giving a wide berth. That must be where they were planning to land the airship. She squinted and pushed harder against the window.

Then, she saw that one of the people standing closest to the empty spot in the courtyard was wearing blue. The person in blue was looking up at the airship, using a tanned arm to block the sun from her eyes. Asami's heart stopped, then started again at double-time. There was no question about it now: that was definitely Korra.

She couldn't wait any longer. Ignoring Bolin's warning that she should stay seated for the landing, she unbuckled her seat belt and went to the door of the airship. "Miss Sato," said one of the airship's crew members, "you really should remain seated."

"I designed this airship," she replied. "I know for a fact that it won't make a difference." Then she opened the door. The air blew her hair around like crazy, but she barely even noticed. Looking down at the ground, she saw that Korra had separated from the rest of the group and was almost directly under the airship, her next craned up to see the door. She waved to Asami and yelled something, but Asami was still too far away to hear.

Korra kept trying though, and soon Asami heard: "Jump!"

Asami didn't need to be told twice. Without a single shred of fear, she jumped off the ship; she knew that Korra would catch her. When her feet left the airship, she immediately felt buoyant in the air. Korra was carrying her with airbending. Within seconds she was safely on the ground. As soon as she got her footing again, she sprinted over to Korra and threw herself in to her arms.

It was the sweetest moment either of them had ever known.

The familiar feeling of Korra's embrace was so achingly wonderful that Asami instantly felt tears roll down her face. Korra was so solid, warm, and there. She buried her nose in Korra's hair, squeezing her as tight as possible.

Korra returned the embrace every bit as tightly, her senses filled with Asami, surrounded by her. She breathed deeply, taking in her scent. She buried her fingers in long, dark hair, holding Asami's head close against her. Deep down inside her, Raava was rejoicing in the reunion.

Asami pulled back to examine Korra's face, drinking in her blue eyes, her tan skin, and her beautiful smile. "There she is," she said, her voice quiet and reverent. "There's my girl."

"Here I am," replied Korra, and she stood on her toes to kiss Asami's forehead, then her nose, then both cheeks, and then finally pressed her lips against Asami's, her head spinning and her heart filled with the golden warmth that was Raava's gift.

"Oh, Korra," whispered Asami against her lips, "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, Asami."

Unnoticed by the two women on the ground, the airship had landed and its passengers had all gotten out. Pema took her children over to greet her husband, and Bolin exchanged a warm hug with his older brother.

Most people were trying to give Korra and Asami a little privacy, but Ikki was watching unabashedly. Standing off to the side near the rest of her family, she gave a dreamy sigh. "They're so cute," she said. "I hope I find someone to love like that."

"I'm sure you will, sweetie," said Pema.

"But not until you're _much_ older," added Tenzin in typical Tenzin fashion.

Meelo pointed over to the couple in question. "What's happening?" he asked.

Now everyone turned to look. Spirits had begun to materialize in the courtyard and were crowding around Korra and Asami.

"They're happy," said Jinora. "They're happy that Korra and Asami are together again."

Neither of the two women noticed the spirits until a few minutes later, when they broke off their kiss and Asami leaned her forehead against Korra's and smiled at her. A butterfly spirit settled on Asami's arm where it was draped over Korra's shoulder, and finally she looked around and saw all the other spirits. Some of them she recognized as being her companions in Republic City, but there were many that she'd never met before. "We have company," said Asami.

"So we do," replied Korra when she saw the spirits. "Why are they here?"

"Not to sound pompous, but I think it's because of me. Jinora told me that the spirits love me, and they've been keeping me company in Republic City."

"They have good taste," said Korra. "And they aren't the only spirits that love you. I wish I could share with you the way that Raava feels right now. It's incredible."

"You are sharing it with me, Korra." Asami leaned in for another kiss, cupping Korra's face in her hands as if she was the most precious thing in the world.

The two of them broke apart when someone said: " _Ahem!_ " They turned to see Bolin and Mako standing there. "Excuse me, but other people want to say hi to Korra, too," said Bolin.

Laughing, Asami said, "Bolin, if you make it a habit to interrupt us, I'm afraid we're going to have to stop hanging out with each other."

"Aw man, but it's so fun! Korra gets this super angry look on her face. How could I resist?"

Korra went over and gave him a hug, and Mako gave Asami one as well. "I missed you," said Korra to Bolin. "Sorry it took so long for me to write to you. It's been pretty busy here."

"It's okay," said Bolin. "Mako didn't even write to me once."

"Yeah, sorry about that bro," said Mako. "Like Korra said, we've been super busy. Besides, I doubt you want to hear about boring Earth Republic government stuff."

"Ah, Mako, you know me so well."

The four of them went over to exchange greetings with the airbender family. Korra gave Pema a hug and said quietly in to her ear, "Thanks for looking out for Asami."

"It's my pleasure. She's a wonderful girl."

"Yeah, I think so, too."

Tonraq hugged Asami warmly in greeting. "It's good to see you again, Asami," he said.

"You too," she replied.

"Let me show you all where you'll be staying so you can put your bags away before dinner," said Tenzin, and the group split up after making plans to meet outside the palace in an hour.

Taking Asami's hand, Korra said: "I assumed you'd want to stay with me, is that alright?"

"That's perfect," replied Asami.

They headed through the Earth Palace towards Korra's room at the front. Their footsteps echoed down the deserted hallway. "Usually there are a lot more people here," explained Korra, "but right now everyone's visiting their families for the break. As members of the Bench, Tenzin and I have to stay here because we'll be meeting to hammer down some procedural rule changes during the break. And Mako stayed because he's Wu's personal assistant."

"It doesn't seem fair that everyone else gets a break but you guys don't," said Asami.

"It's not so bad, honestly. We're happy to do it. The thing is that everyone here is really devoted to the work we're doing. If we had asked the representatives to stay, they'd have done it without complaint. Anyway, the Bench meetings will only take an hour or so every day. Other than that, my schedule is completely open."

"Good, because I've got big plans for you."

They reached Korra's room, and she opened the door for Asami. "Here we are," she said. "My home away from home."

Asami dropped her bag on the floor, spun around and pinned Korra against the now-closed door. She put her hands on Korra's hips and kissed her heatedly. Responding with equal enthusiasm, Korra threw her arms around Asami's neck and pulled their bodies flush against one another. "I can't wait until after dinner," panted Asami as she moved down to kiss Korra's jawline, her hands now exploring Korra's well-muscled stomach under her shirt. "I have to have you right now."

"Do you see me complaining?" replied Korra, tilting her head to give Asami more space to work with. She pushed off from the door and backed Asami towards the bed, raising her arms to allow Asami to remove her shirt.

When Asami felt the back of her knees hit the bed, she sat down on it and pulled Korra in to her lap. Reaching out to remove the bindings around Korra's chest, she stared as more and more of her lover became visible. "I'd almost forgotten how sexy you are," she said. "I can't wait to feel you against me again."

"Then let's not wait." Korra stood and removed the rest of her clothing, then knelt to do the same for Asami, starting with her boots. When she finished, she pushed Asami down on to her back and lay on top of her, letting one of her knees intentionally press between her legs. "Oh, Asami, I've missed this so much." She looked in to Asami's green eyes as she started them on a rocking motion, and Asami reached down with one hand and found that perfect spot again, and Korra ducked her head to lick that one place on her neck and was rewarded for it when Asami arched her back, bringing their breasts together.

They climaxed together as a couple, and then Asami rolled her on to her back and said: "I have to taste you." And when Korra came against her mouth, she waited for Korra's body to relax before quickly and mercilessly drawing out a second, then a third.

"You have to stop," panted Korra finally, her entire body covered in a light sheen of sweat. "I can't take any more."

"Aww," said Asami. "I'm sorry. Did I wear the big strong Avatar out?"

"Yes," laughed Korra, pulling Asami up her body and wrapping her arms around her. "I just need a little break, Asami. My limbs feel like jelly."

"Fine, I'll stop… for now." She propped her head up and took a long moment just to look at Korra, basking in her presence. Korra looked right back at her, equally as enamored at that moment. "I love you, Korra."

"I love you, too. I'm so glad you're here."

A loud knock at the door made them both jump in surprise. "Dinner," said Asami, as if she had just suddenly remembered it.

"I forgot," said Korra.

"Me too."

Korra stood and pulled on her cloths with admirable speed. "Hide under the covers," she directed Asami before she opened the door a tiny crack.

Mako was standing there directing his gaze up at the ceiling, a blush on his face. "Um, I just thought you might want to know that you've got five minutes before we're supposed to meet up with everyone outside."

It was a very sweet gesture, thought Korra. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "We'll be there."

"Cool. Oh and, uh, Korra?"

"Yes?"

"Your shirt's inside out." He spun on his heel and practically ran down the hallway.

Korra closed the door and turned to look at Asami. Then she imitated the salute that Mako had given her and Asami three years ago on Air Temple Island, and the two of them dissolved in to laughter. "Just when we finally got things back to normal between the three of us," she said.

"Oh, I'm sure he's fine. It was really nice of him to do that. He's trying to look out for us." Asami rose from the bed and collected her clothes from the floor where Korra had dropped them; Korra watched her every move. "Stop staring at me like that," said Asami. "Five minutes, remember?"

"Ugh," grumbled Korra. "Why do we have to have so many friends? All I want to do is stay here with you."

"Don't worry. We'll have more time together later." She walked over and placed a soft kiss on Korra's lips. "Besides, I'm hungry."

"Still? You just ate," quipped Korra.

Smiling, Asami sat on the bed to lace up her boots. "You're terrible," she said.

When Mako saw the two of them approaching, he was relieved to see that they looked totally unruffled and normal. They trotted over to the waiting group hand-in-hand. "Sorry if we're a little late," said Korra to Tonraq, Tenzin and his family. "Asami packed way too much stuff."

"I did not," shot back Asami. "You always pack too _little_ stuff."

"Good thing we usually travel together, then. That way we can hit a happy medium."

The last person they were waiting on was Bolin, who had apparently decided to change in to green clothes to match the rest of the people in the Earth Republic. They all stared at him as he came down the stone stairway towards them. "I love feeling like I'm a part of something bigger," he said when Mako teased him about his choice of wardrobe. "You get to feel that way every day, but all I get to do is boring construction work. No offense," he added to Asami.

"Why would I take offense to that?" said Asami sarcastically. "You only just insulted my livelihood."

Finally all together, the large group began walking out of the courtyard chattering amongst themselves and beginning to catch up. When they emerged on to the streets of the upper ring, Bolin looked around in shock. "Man," he said to Korra, "you weren't kidding. Those SUM things are everywhere."

"I know." She moved closer to Asami, putting her arm around her waist. "I'm sorry," she said quietly when she saw the look on Asami's face.

Sighing deeply, Asami replied: "It's not your fault. Looks like Tom Regent was telling the truth when he said they'd sold thousands of those cars. I just can't believe I had no idea it was happening." As they walked through the city, Asami tried to count all the SUMs they passed, but it was impossible. She kept seeing them around corners and parked down side streets. There were almost as many SUMs as there were satomobiles on the streets of Ba Sing Se. "We really need to find out where they're getting all this steel from. If someone else is getting rich off this business, I'd like to start keeping an eye on them now."

"Did you ever get in contact with your geology professor?"

"Yes, I did," answered Asami. "She said we can come by any time to use the lab. She lives on campus and she doesn't sleep very much."

"Then we'll go after dinner," declared Korra. She couldn't stand to see the distraught look in those beloved green eyes, so she made it her goal to see it gone by the end of the night.

"We'll need another sample, though."

"No problem." Korra detached herself from the rest of the group and approached a parked SUM. Whistling nonchalantly, she edged closer and closer until finally, she reached out and snapped the driver's side mirror off. Hastily, she hid it under her arm and returned to Asami's side. Then she bent off a small part of the metal and deposited the rest of the mirror in a nearby garbage bin. "There you are, my darling. One fresh metal sample."

Asami, Bolin, and Mako were staring at her in disbelief. "Is this what we're sinking to now?" asked Bolin. "Petty vandalism?"

"What?" replied Korra innocently. "It's for a good cause."

Asami took the bit of metal and stored it in one of the pockets of her cargo pants. "I guess I can't complain. I did ask for it, after all."

They arrived at the restaurant where Tenzin had made reservations for the large party. When they entered, the host bowed to them and said: "Welcome Master Tenzin, Avatar Korra… and the rest of you. Welcome, we are so very glad you've picked our establishment this evening. You grace us with your presence. If you'll follow me, your table is right this way."

Tenzin's kids snickered at this, and once the host had left them at their table with a stack of menus, they erupted in to imitations of the host ingratiating himself before them. "Master Tenzin," said Meelo with an elaborate bow, "I am so happy to see your big bald head."

Ikki stood in front of Korra and knelt down as if to kiss her feet. "Avatar Korra, I am so pleased to have you here that I may projectile vomit all over the floor."

"Ikki," hissed Pema. "That's disgusting. You kids behave."

Bolin was howling with laughter. "Man, Tenzin, your kids are the best."

"I have no idea where they get that from," said Tenzin in a long-suffering tone.

Korra stood and then folded herself in to a ridiculous bow before him. "Master Tenzin," she said, "your children are welcome to projectile vomit on to the floor of this establishment any time. I, Avatar Korra, have deemed it so."

"I think I know where it comes from," said Pema.

"Korra, you're a bad influence," chimed in Mako.

"Not Korra: Aang," corrected Pema. "It comes from your father," she said to her husband.

Smiling to himself, Tenzin remembered his father acting goofy around himself, Kya and Bumi when they had been small children and realized that she was probably right. The waiter delivered their drinks and he picked his up and raised his glass. "I'd like to make a toast," he said, and everyone stopped talking and raised their glasses as well. "To the whole family, together here in Ba Sing Se."

"To family," agreed Asami, and everyone repeated it as they clinked their glasses together.

The meal was just as noisy and boisterous as every other that Asami had ever shared with Tenzin's family, except that this time Korra kept her arm casually draped over the back of her chair. Asami had a conversation with her girlfriend's father about Future Industries, and on the other side of the table, she overheard Bolin talking to Tenzin about Opal.

"So you really don't mind?" he was saying.

"Of course not," answered Tenzin. "All I ever want is for my airbenders to be happy. I would never try to keep Opal captive on the island."

"Thank you," said Bolin, and Tenzin was embarrassed when Bolin hugged him. "Sorry," said Bolin, quickly realizing his mistake. "I forgot you're too dignified to hug."

When the check came, Asami leaned forward and snatched it before anyone else could. "Let me take care of it," objected Tonraq.

"No, I'll get it," argued Tenzin.

"Not necessary," said Asami, pulling out a card and handing the bill back to the waiter. "I own a multi-million yuan corporation. I think I can pay for one dinner with my friends and family."

She noticed Korra was giving her a look. "Are you sure about that?" asked Korra quietly once everyone had stopped paying attention to them.

"Yes," answered Asami firmly. "Don't worry about it."

It was true that Asami was not hurting for money yet. But if she was going to start losing profits on the reconstruction of Republic City, she intended to take every possible opportunity to spend her money on things that made herself and the people she loved happy.

"Man, I'm stuffed," remarked Bolin as they left the restaurant. "That was great. Thanks, Asami. It sure is nice having the Avatar and her stinking rich girlfriend as friends."

There was a general clamor of agreement as everyone else thanked Asami as well. "You're welcome," she replied easily. "It's my pleasure."


	19. Spy Stuff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all your reviews, guys. I've already finished writing this fic and now I'm only going through and editing it as I post it (that's how I'm able to get updates up so quickly), so some of the things you've pointed out have been helpful. Sometimes you guys ask about stuff that I address later in the story so I don't change anything, but other things I've made note of and included in my revisions. For example, I totally forgot that the Avatar universe uses yuans, not dollars. So I'll be going through and changing that.
> 
> But there are also other things you guys point out where I'm afraid you'll just have to suspend your disbelief. I mean, in the Avatar universe people can literally control the elements and create fire out of nothing and stuff. Every once in a while, there are going to be things that are unrealistic. Try to move past it and enjoy the ride.
> 
> I hope you guys are enjoying this fic. I'll probably be updating it daily until I get it all up. As I said, it's already finished, so don't worry! I won't abandon it before it's done. :)

After dinner, the airbenders and Tonraq decided to head back to the palace. Korra turned to Mako and Bolin and said: "You two go on back. Asami and I have an errand to run."

"You sure you don't need backup?" said Mako. "We'll go with you if you want."

"Actually, I would like the two of them to come with us," said Asami, and Korra raised her eyebrows at her. Asami looked around the busy streets of Ba Sing Se and said: "I had a thought during dinner. Tom Regent has been tailing me since Korra left Republic City, and he knew that I was coming here for the convention break. He's been avoiding the RCPD so far, so chances are he's probably following us right now."

"What a sleaze ball," said Korra with a shudder. "I hope he shows himself so that we can beat the snot out of him."

"As appealing as that sounds, I really doubt he wants us to know he's following us."

"Well, you're the one with all the great ideas about spy stuff. Got any suggestions?"

"It would be nice to know for sure if we are actually being followed." Asami turned to Bolin. "If we were to take a walk around the city, would you be able to tell if someone were following us?"

"Kind of," said Bolin. "I can tell when people are walking around, but there are a lot of people walking around here."

"How can you tell that?" asked Mako, confused.

"Chief Beifong taught me how to see with earthbending," Bolin told him, puffing his chest out with pride. Then he looked back at Asami. "But there would be no way to know if the people I'm sensing are actually following us or just walking in the same direction as us by coincidence."

"Don't worry about that," said Asami. "These are my old stomping grounds. The university is only about half a mile from here. I have a plan that will let us know for sure if there actually is someone following us."

With that decided, they sat on a nearby bench and tried to block Bolin from view as he removed his shoes. Luckily, his pants were a little too long so it wasn't very obvious that he was now strolling around Ba Sing Se barefoot. They set off down the street, and Bolin said: "Lots of people are walking the same way. How far back do you think he would be?"

Asami considered this. "In the times I've managed to spot him in the past, he never kept a very safe distance. When I lost him using cabs in Republic City, he was only about a block behind me the whole time."

Nodding, Bolin lapsed in to silence, concentrating hard.

They made a left turn that required waiting at two traffic lights so that they would end up on the opposite side of the road. "Not too many people a block behind us took the same route," reported Bolin. "Only five or six."

"Keep an eye on them," replied Asami. "Up here is where we'll find out for sure if one of them is Regent."

To everyone's surprise, Asami led them in to an underground marketplace. "This entire market is shaped like the letter C," she explained. "You enter at one end and exit at the other. I'm guessing that if Regent is tailing us, he'll wait outside for us to come out the other end because otherwise he risks being seen by us."

"But maybe he doesn't know that the marketplace is shaped like a C," said Mako.

"He would know. This is a really popular market, and Regent grew up here in Ba Sing Se. He's probably been here before."

As they walked through the bustling marketplace, Bolin said: "Two of the people who made that left kept walking past the marketplace. The others came in here behind us."

They walked all the way to the other end of the market and went outside. "Let's hang out here for a bit to make sure he sees us," said Asami, and she pretended to inspect a schedule posted on a nearby bus stop. After a minute, she said: "Alright, let's go back in," and she led them back in to the market.

"One of them is turning around," said Bolin excitedly. "He's heading back to the other entrance!"

"It's got to be Regent," said Korra. "Great plan, Asami."

"So now we know we're being followed," said Mako. "What should we do?"

"I don't know," admitted Asami. "I hadn't thought that far ahead."

"We could beat the snot out of him," suggested Korra.

"Again, tempting," replied Asami. She led them in to an ice cream shop and they all ordered cones. Bolin assured them that Regent was waiting patiently outside, so they relaxed for the time being. "Let's think this through. Why is Regent following us?"

"Because he thinks we're trying to meddle in Sen Inc and Cah-Bage Corp's business," answered Korra.

"Which, admittedly, we are. We can't let him know we're headed to the science building at the university because he'll guess that we're trying to run tests on the SUM's metal again and then he'll destroy that lab, too. But what else would we do if we really were trying to get in their business?"

Korra thought about this. "Didn't Ron Regent's letter say that he was swapping places with Lau Gan-Lan?"

"Yes, it did," affirmed Asami.

"So what if we acted like we were going to see Gan-Lan? If Regent thought we were going to go to Gan-Lan directly, then maybe he might feel threatened and attack us." Korra could see the plan forming behind Asami's green eyes and was suddenly aching to be alone with her again. She's so unbelievably gorgeous, and she doesn't even realize it, thought Korra. Despite everything else that was going on, Korra found herself reliving that stolen hour in her room at the Earth Palace, wishing dearly that they had just skipped dinner and stayed in bed all night.

But the next words out of Asami's mouth were almost the exact opposite of what she wanted to hear. "I think we're going to have to split up," she said regretfully.

"What are you thinking?" asked Mako.

"Even though Tom Regent has been following me in Republic City, I think he was only doing it because Ron Regent is worried about Korra, not me," said Asami.

"I think you're right about that," said Mako. "When we ran in to Jon Regent in the Earth Palace, he implied that they were using you as leverage to keep Korra in line."

"So if you and I spit up," said Asami to Korra, "I'm willing to bet that he would follow you, not me."

Heaving a huge sigh, Korra leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms, and frowned petulantly. "I hate this plan."

Asami laughed, reaching over to uncross her arms and take one of her hands. "I know. I do too, but I think it's the best way. We'll meet up again tonight at the Earth Palace once I finish getting the sample ready."

"How long will that take?" asked Korra, trying not to sound like a whining child but failing.

Still smiling, Asami assured her: "No longer than an hour. Less if my professor is still working in the lab when we get there. But Korra, don't forget that Tom Regent will probably attack you once he realizes where you're headed."

"Good," said Korra. "I'd like to punch that jerk in the face right now."

"Who's going with who?" asked Bolin. He and Mako were looking back and forth between each woman as they spoke, clearly outclassed in the strategy department.

"Bolin, you come with me so that we can know right away if Tom Regent didn't actually follow Korra," said Asami. "Mako, you go with Korra to Gan-Lan's estate, and be ready for a fight."

With the plan formulated, the only thing left to do was execute it. They left the ice cream shop and re-entered the main hallway of the marketplace. Asami gave Korra a short but tender kiss and said: "Be careful."

"You too."

They went outside. Both of their destinations were in the same general direction, so they stayed together for three more blocks. Then they parted ways and Asami looked back over her shoulder at Korra, who was walking somewhat dejectedly with her hands in her pockets at Mako's side. Korra wasn't the only one who was thinking about their brief interlude back in Korra's room. Asami hastened her stride, determined to finish her business at the university so she could return to the Earth Palace and Korra's bed.

"He went after Korra," said Bolin after a couple of minutes, "just like you said he would."

"Good," said Asami. "Let's get this done and get back. This is not how I imagined this night going, but hopefully we'll be able to salvage a little of it."

Bolin laughed. "Asami, after what you pulled off tonight, I have no doubt that you'll be back with Korra in no time."

Even Asami had to admit to herself, she had been pretty clever tonight. "Thanks," she said. "I guess I do kind of have a knack for this spy stuff."

Kicking a rock along the street as she walked, Korra grumbled in annoyance: "This stinks. My girlfriend is in town and I'm walking around Ba Sing Se with you. No offense," she added quickly.

"None taken," said Mako. "I get it. I'm no Asami. That was awesome what she did back there."

"Yeah, it really was. Remind me later to tell you about how she lost our friend Tom the other day in Republic City so she could check out his SUM." She sighed, feeling totally lovesick. "She's so awesome."

"I guess the two of you are really, um, hitting it off. You know, better than you and I ever did," said Mako awkwardly.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that, Mako. I just wasn't really in to you that way, I guess. I thought I was, but I wasn't."

"It's alright," said Mako, and it sounded like he really meant it. "Actually it kind of makes me feel better to know that it wasn't something I did."

"Definitely not," agreed Korra. "You're a dreamboat, Mako. Any girl would be lucky to have you. Just not me. And not Asami. She's mine."

"Yes, she really is," laughed Mako. "She obviously loves you a lot. More than it ever seemed like she loved me. With us, it was always about her looking for comfort. But you two really treat each other like equals."

"We are equals. Asami may not be able to bend, but she's still a great fighter, and her plans are always solid. I always know I can rely on her." They were approaching a park that seemed to be empty. "Let's cut through here. I think we're close enough to Gan-Lan's estate that Regent has figured out where we're going, and this park would be a good place for him to attack us."

"Wow," said Mako. "You really can't wait to draw this guy out."

"Tom Regent is the only thing keeping me from Asami right now. The sooner I get to beat him up, the sooner I can go home to my girl."

The darkened park turned out to be an even better place for an attack than Korra had anticipated. It was almost completely insulated by thick, leafy trees and stone walls around the perimeter. If there was one thing she'd learned during her time in Ba Sing Se, it was that the Earth territories loved stone walls. They hadn't walked more than fifteen steps before they heard a voice behind them. "Figured it out, have you?"

They spun around to see Tom Regent, recognizable to Korra after the attack on the mountainside. She didn't have any idea what he thought they'd figured out, but it was essential that he not lose interest in them and go after Asami instead, so she said: "Yeah, and I don't like it one bit."

"We don't really care _what_ you like," replied Regent, coming closer to them. "There are no laws that say we can't do what we're doing."

"In case you hadn't noticed, there's an awful lot of lawmaking going on right now. I can make sure there are laws about it as soon as the break ends." Korra hoped that whatever she was saying was convincing enough to keep Regent thinking that she knew more than she did. Luckily, he didn't seem to be very bright; he certainly wasn't particularly good at espionage. She guessed that his father and brother had sent him to Republic City to tail Asami because he was the least intelligent of the three. During the convention Korra had seen that Jon Regent, while a big disgusting loser, was actually quite brilliant in some ways, and Ron Regent ran his own multi-million yuan corporation like Asami.

Tom sneered at her, an expression which she was growing quite tired of seeing on his ugly face. "There's nothing the Earth Republic can do about it either. It's outside their jurisdiction."

"Jurisdiction? That's a big word; did your daddy teach you that? Or maybe your big brother?" At this point, Korra was hoping to aggravate Tom in to an attack. The sooner they could finish exchanging verbal barbs the better. She really didn't want to risk Tom finding out that she didn't have the slightest idea what was going on. "Something tells me you don't know the first thing about law. The Earth Republic will be able to stop you, especially with my help."

"You won't be there to help them!" yelled Tom, and Korra was relieved when launched himself in to an attack.

It wasn't a very well planned attack. He charged at her head on, and she took a page out of Genly Ai's book and waited for him to lift one foot in the air before bending the earth under the other. The result was that he tripped and fell flat on his face. Korra used the opportunity to earthbend him in to a prison, trapping his arms, legs and torso under a layer of solid rock. As he struggled pathetically on his stomach, turning his head from side to side, she crouched down next to him and patted him condescendingly on the back of the head.

"Oh, Tommy, you just never learn. My friends and I are a lot smarter and _better_ than you. There's no way you're going to get away with this. If you had any brains inside your stupid head, you would get out while you still can. Your daddy and your brother are going down, but you might still have a chance to redeem yourself." Tom opened his mouth and breathed fire at her, but Mako was standing nearby and he waved his hand negligently, dissipating the flames before they got anywhere near her. Korra got to her feet and said: "I'm going to leave you here tonight to think about it."

She and Mako left the park. "That was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be," said Mako. "That was some pretty impressive bending."

"I think Chief Beifong really has the right idea with her whole 'wait and listen' philosophy. I may have to take some lessons from her myself at some point."

Craning his neck to look back at the mound of earth that was containing Tom Regent, Mako said: "Are you sure he'll be alright? Maybe we should get the police to come and arrest him."

Korra considered this. "Jon Regent seems to believe that the police here in Ba Sing Se are on his side. I think they've probably been paid off by the Regents to ignore whatever they're doing. If we're going to catch this guy, it'll have to be in Republic City. Leaving him there is the best option. This is the Earth Republic. I'm sure an earthbender will walk by soon enough." She lowered her voice so there was no way Regent would hear them. "Besides, this way we can be sure he won't follow Asami and Bolin. Now come on, let's get back. I have much more important things to do tonight."

Korra was back in her room before Asami was, and she paced back and forth impatiently as she waited for Asami's return. Finally, the door opened and Asami entered. "How did it go?" asked Korra.

"No problems at all. My professor was still in the lab, so we prepared the sample. Now all we have to do is wait. What happened with Regent?"

She relayed the conversation and fight between herself and Regent. "So he thinks we've already discovered whatever it is they're hiding, and now they're worried about what we're going to do about it."

"Did you really tell him that he should get out while he still can?"

"Yes," answered Korra, watching as Asami sat on the bed and began removing her boots. "There's no reason for him to go down with the rest of his horrible family. I mean yeah the guy's a creep, but I think he's only doing it because his family is telling him to."

"What makes you think that?"

"I don't know. I don't get the same nasty vibe from him that I get from his brother. He never actually tried to attack you even though you saw him in Republic City, what, three times? And obviously you never thought to attack him, either, so he must not be very threatening. I just have a gut feeling about it, so I thought I'd give him a chance."

Asami smiled at her. "Yet another example of how much you've grown in the last couple of years. You really are turning in to one of the most compassionate people I've ever known."

Joining her on the bed, Korra took her hand and intertwined their fingers. "I guess I hadn't thought about it like that. It seemed natural to me to try to give him a chance. But I'm telling you right now, I'm done giving him chances. If he gives me one more reason to believe he's still a threat to you, I'm taking him down."

"My own personal Avatar protector," said Asami. "How sweet."

Then Korra leaned over to kiss her, and all thoughts of Tom Regent flew right out of her head. By the time Korra had pushed her down on her back, the only thing she could possibly feel was loved, needed, and safe.


	20. Korra's Gift

After a late start the next morning, Korra and Asami emerged from their room with the intention of seeing what everyone else was up to. They found Bolin and Mako in the courtyard training with Genly Ai and another man who Asami did not recognize.

"This is Therem Harth," said Bolin to Asami. "Also known as the reason Genly didn't want to go to Republic City with Haku."

Mako elbowed him sharply in the ribs. "Dude," he hissed, "when are you going to learn to have a little tact about these things?"

"It's alright," said Therem. "Genly and I have been hiding for more than fifteen years. I think it's time to stop mincing our words."

"Especially not around Korra and Asami," agreed Genly. "After all, it is largely thanks to the two of you that Therem decided to give us another chance." He took Korra's hand and said: "I owe you greatly, Korra. I can only hope to one day repay this debt."

"There is no debt, Genly. I was just doing my job. Besides, it was in my own best interests, too."

The six of them decided to sit together in the grassy part of the courtyard, which was much less busy now that most of the representatives had gone on break. As they stretched out under the sun they exchanged easy, casual conversation. Eventually Therem asked Asami: "So, Asami, what element do you bend? You have the eyes of an earthbender, but the spirit of a firebender."

"Oh," laughed Asami, "I'm not a bender."

"My apologies," said Therem. "I just assumed you must be, since you and Avatar Korra are obviously so close."

"I think Korra can bend plenty for the both of us," said Asami.

"Asami does just fine without bending," added Mako. "She runs Future Industries, and they invented that electricity glove that the Equalists were using a couple years back when Amon attacked the city."

Therem slapped his own forehead in embarrassment. "Of course. Asami _Sato_. I don't know how I failed to piece that together. In Gethen, I must admit that satomobiles are somewhat out of style. We house the main shipping port of Sen Inc, as well as their largest factory. We were the main test market for the SUMs."

"Really?" asked Korra, her eyes lighting up with interest. "We didn't know that. Where does Sen Inc ship their steel in from?"

"I don't actually know," admitted Therem. "One of Jon Regent's first acts as a state legislator was to push through a bill that lessened the regulations on Gethen's shipping ports. It went in to law about a year ago; now businesses in Gethen have no obligation to share any particulars about their cargo."

Mako, who had become much more politically savvy over the last month, made a disgusted noise. "Isn't that a conflict of interest?" he asked.

"Somewhat," said Genly. "But as Haku and I explained before, the wealthy of Gethen fear that the government is going to try to take their money. Jon Regent's bill about shipping regulations played right in to their fears. Now the businesses of Gethen can do as they like without worrying about being subject to scrutiny."

"That's unconscionable," said Asami. "What if someone is shipping in weapons or other illicit substances?"

Therem shrugged. "We have no power over that arena anymore."

"Now I really want to punch Jon Regent in the face," said Korra unexpectedly. When everyone looked at her, she explained: "Asami and I have been trying to find out where the steel in the SUMs is coming from. Tom Regent trashed Asami's lab so now we're testing another sample here in Ba Sing Se, but Jon Regent has apparently been one step ahead of us for a year by making it so that he doesn't have to tell _anyone_ where he's getting it from."

"That is rather curious," said Therem. "But why should it matter where the steel is coming from, though? My apologies to Miss Sato, but they are allowed to make money off their automobiles."

"I know," answered Asami. "But there's just something strange about the whole thing, and we really want to find out what it is." She sighed and crushed her empty soda can. "It doesn't make a difference, anyway. We should have the lab results within a week, and then the mystery will be solved."

After lunch, Asami and Korra spent a few hours in the courtyard training before they left the group to spend a date night together in Ba Sing Se. They took the railcar to the middle ring, sitting close together on the trolley and staring out the window at the city below them.

"It's been way too long since I've been here," said Asami. "In college my friends and I used to go down to the middle ring on the weekends."

"How come?"

"The bars down here are better," replied Asami. "On the upper ring we had to worry about running in to people we knew, but my little group was always more adventurous than all the other upper-class stiffs we went to school with so we would come down here to slum it, so to speak."

"Somehow I'm not surprised," said Korra affectionately. "You being more adventurous than your peers? Who would possibly have guessed?"

They exited the railcar and headed down to ground level. Korra was pleasantly surprised when Asami casually took her hand as they strolled through the busy streets of Ba Sing Se. Down here there weren't as many SUMs, but there were still a few of the large boxy monstrosities prowling the roads. Eventually they entered a pedestrian-only area of the city, and the lack of cars served to relieve both of them. Now, they could focus on having a fun night together without worrying about whatever else might be going on in the world.

"Did you ever go to the lower ring at all?" asked Korra, picking up the thread of their former conversation.

"Sometimes, but only by myself. I could never convince anyone to come with me. It's a nasty habit of the wealthy to want to pretend that poverty doesn't exist. Plus, they were always too scared."

"What could they possibly be scared of?"

"Being mugged, I guess. Actually, now that I think of it, someone did try to mug me when I went down there one time."

"Unlucky mugger picked the wrong target. Did you beat him up?"

"Only a little," said Asami. "Afterwards I felt really bad, so I gave him some money and let him run away." She chuckled. "I don't think he had any idea who he was dealing with."

"You know," said Korra as they passed a cluster of fruit stands, "a lot of the things we're talking about during the convention have to do with the distribution of wealth in the Earth Republic. Over the long rule of the monarchy things got really screwed up here, and Ba Sing Se's three rings are an extreme example of that. The representatives are hoping to bring a little more class equality to this city."

"That sounds wonderful in concept, but how much opposition are you meeting to the idea?"

"A lot," acknowledged Korra. "While I've been here I've been thinking a lot about what you said that day at your cabin. Money really does determine the future of this country, and the people who _have_ money don't want to share it. In a way, all we're doing at the constitutional convention is fleshing out rules about how to deal with the Earth Republic's money. It's kind of depressing."

"Try not to think of it that way, Korra. Government isn't about money, it's about _people_. You aren't trying to re-organize wealth, you're trying to re-build the lives of every person here in the Earth Republic. It's just like you said, the three rings of Ba Sing Se are an example of how different groups of people have been used to elevate other groups of people. So you and all the representatives are here to even the playing field between them so that everyone has a chance to have everything they need to be happy."

Korra considered this for a moment, looking around at the marketplace filled with middle-ring citizens exchanging Earth Republic currency for goods and services. She thought about a debate they had had just before the break at the convention about the necessity for a system of checks and balances to be written in to the new government. The argument had been that the plan for their government allowed too much power within the executive branch, and that they ran the risk of having one or two people end up with too much authority within the system. Now, Korra understood that the debates were always centered on the same basic issue: That no one person should have too much of anything because that left less anything for everyone else. It was less about the "anything," and more about the "everyone." It was about protecting everyone's right to live a good life. She found herself thinking about all the debates she'd been present for over the last month, and found that each of those memories now felt a lot more meaningful when she considered them in the new context that Asami had given her.

As she came to the realization, she looked over at Asami, who was smiling serenely at her. "Aren't you going to say it?" Korra teased. "You talked me out of another funk."

"I don't have to say it," replied Asami. "I think by this point, we both know how awesome I am."

"I've been saying that since day one, Awesami," laughed Korra.

Asami suddenly pushed Korra down a side alley, backing her against a brick building and capturing her lips for a heated kiss. She parted Korra's lips with her tongue, deepening the contact as she pressed their bodies together against the wall. She could feel Korra's pulse racing against her fingers where she had placed them on Korra's neck. Not for the first time, the idea that she could affect Korra this way made her weak in the knees. "I love you," she whispered against Korra's lips when a need for air forced them to separate briefly.

"I love you too," replied Korra breathlessly, wondering what type of bending she could use to get them back to the Earth Palace the fastest. "But you shouldn't start this if you aren't going to finish it, Asami."

Dropping her head against Korra's shoulder, Asami laughed helplessly. "I know. I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself." She pulled back and smiled at Korra, brushing brown bangs away from crystal blue eyes. "It makes me happy that I can read you so well," she said. "Being able to talk you out of a funk like that, it just feels so… intimate. It makes me feel close to you. When you're troubled or worried you get this distant look, but when I say the right thing to bring you back to me, I can _see_ you come back. I see it happen in your eyes."

"You wouldn't see it if you weren't looking," said Korra. "I love that you care enough to keep me here, and I'm grateful that you're so darn good at it. I may keep the world in balance, but you keep _me_ in balance." She put her arms around Asami's waist and brought her in for another long, deep kiss. When she finally forced herself to pull away, Korra sighed with a goofy smile on her face. "You're really good at that, too, by the way."

Asami laughed again, and the sound made Korra's heart even lighter. "Come on," said Asami. "Let's stop giving the people of Ba Sing Se a show and find something fun to do."

"I have an idea about that." She took Asami's hand again and led her out of the side alley. "Genly told me about a place that he thought we might like to check out, and I think it's around here somewhere."

As they walked further in to the city, they noticed that they were receiving fewer and fewer looks of curiosity. It was because most of the couples walking along the street here were same-sex as well. "Um, Korra, where are we?" asked Asami as they passed two old men who were walking arm-in-arm.

"This is what Genly calls the 'gay neighborhood' of Ba Sing Se," replied Korra. "He told me that when he was attending the university here, he and Therem would come here on dates. He said it really helped the two of them to see other couples that were like them."

They both stopped when a little girl ran right up to them. "Avatar!" she cried, pointing at Korra.

Korra knelt down in front of her, smiling sweetly. "That's right, I'm the Avatar. My name is Korra, what's your name?"

Two women ran over to them, obviously chasing after the child. "Gabi, how many times do I have to tell you not to talk to strangers," said one of the women.

"But it's the Avatar!" replied Gabi. "Her name is Korra and she's my friend."

The second woman looked at Korra and admitted, "Well, I guess it's alright if it's the Avatar."

Korra laughed and stood, reaching out to shake their hands. "I'm Korra, and this is my girlfriend Asami."

"Girlfriend?" said the first woman excitedly. "I knew it! Didn't I know it, Lu Cee?"

"Yes dear," said Lu Cee. "I'm Lu Cee, and this is my partner Ren. And this is our daughter Gabi."

"We are so excited to hear that you play for our team, Avatar Korra. Before the fall of the monarchy, the Earth Queen was planning to abolish the rights of same-sex parents. We were worried that Lu Cee might lose her parental rights over Gabi," said Ren, reaching out to embrace her two family members.

"That's awful," said Asami. "Why would she want to do that?"

"Ba Sing Se is an accepting place," said Lu Cee, "but in the last couple of years the Earth Queen was starting to pander to her more _affluent_ supporters."

"Let me guess," said Korra. "She was listening to Jon Regent of Gethen, right?"

"Bingo," said Ren bitterly.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that anymore," Korra assured them.

"Yeah," agreed Asami. "Recently at the convention, Korra totally shut down an article that would have banned same sex partnership rights in the Earth Republic."

"That's great!" exclaimed Ren. "It's so nice to know that the Avatar is on our side."

"Actually," said Korra, "most people seem to be on our side. Jon Regent and his buddies are just a vocal minority. I wasn't the only person in the chamber that day that wanted to toss out that article."

"It's true," added Asami. "In Republic City, even the wealthy people don't care one way or another about who you love."

Lu Cee gave her a curious look, and then her eyes brightened with recognition. "You're Asami Sato, the head of Future Industries right?"

"That's right."

"We love your cars," said Lu Cee.

"And we hate those ugly SUMs," chimed in Ren.

"I like these two," laughed Asami, nudging Korra with her elbow.

"What about me?" chirped Gabi. "Do you like me?"

"Yes, I like you, too."

"Well, we won't keep you any longer. I'm sure you have important Avatar business to attend to," said Ren.

Korra smiled kindly at them. "It's no trouble; we're taking the day off. We're kind of on a date, actually." This she said with her smile directed at Asami. "Know any good places around here for us to go?"

It was with a recommendation for a bar with a dance floor that they continued on their way. The bar was filled with many other couples, most of them same-sex. Korra tugged on Asami's hand and led her out to the floor, draping her arms around Asami's shoulders as they swayed together. "This is a nice place," she said. "Those two ladies knew what they were talking about. And their kid was really cute."

"She was," agreed Asami. "It never occurred to me that two women could raise a child together."

Uh oh, thought Korra. Now we're treading in dangerous waters. "It didn't?" she said out loud, trying to keep her tone conversational.

But Asami laughed and ruffled her hair playfully. "Relax, Korra. Just because it didn't occur to me doesn't mean that I think it's a bad idea. Before I met you, it didn't occur to me that I might be interested in a woman this way, either."

Korra grinned in relief. "Okay," she said. Still, though, she couldn't help but voice the question that had been provoked by the encounter with the two women. "Do you think you want kids, Asami?"

"Yes," answered Asami with a heartfelt smile at Korra. "I always have. Do you?"

"I don't really know," answered Korra. "I mean I did when I was younger, but after everything that's happened these past few years, I haven't been thinking about it very much. I've been so busy being the Avatar, it's been impossible for me to think of my future as just a regular woman until recently. And it doesn't help that once I started thinking about my future, it was with you, and the two of us can't exactly make a baby," she added wryly.

"No, but I'm willing to keep trying if you are," joked Asami with a coy eyebrow waggle, and she was rewarded when Korra laughed. "Listen, Korra, we're still young. I know I'm thinking forever for this thing we have going on, aren't you?"

"Of course," was Korra's easy response.

"Then we don't have to decide anything right away. It's like we said right when we started this thing: There's no rush. We can take this at whatever pace we want."

"You're right," said Korra. "We don't have to decide our entire future right now." She rested her head on Asami's shoulder as they shuffled around, totally content to just be there with Asami for a while. "I wonder how many Avatars have had kids."

"Aang did, obviously."

"But Aang was the last airbender. He had a responsibility to the world to have kids."

"That's probably the least romantic thing I've ever heard you say," said Asami with a chuckle. "I mean I know the Avatar has to maintain balance, but I sure hope that's not how Aang broached the subject to Katara."

"Hey baby, wanna restart the Air Nation together?" quipped Korra saucily, giving Asami a wink.

Asami laughed, but she said: "You're terrible." She tightened her grip around Korra's waist, thinking not for the first time that her wicked sense of humor was one of her best qualities. "You know, I talked to Katara right before I left Republic City."

"What? Why? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," Asami assured her. "I asked Pema to call her for me because of that letter you sent me."

Remembering the contents of the letter, Korra's expression became very serious. "I almost didn't send that letter," she admitted. "It's probably the most personal thing I've ever told you before. Did it make you feel uncomfortable?"

"No. It didn't make me feel uncomfortable. It made me feel amazing, Korra." She leaned down close to Korra's ear and spoke in a low, intimate voice. "You don't ever have to worry that you're going to scare me off by saying things like what you said in that letter. Raava is your Avatar spirit. She is a part of you, and I love _every_ part of you."

Stunned speechless, Korra could only turn her head and meet her lips. The lightness that had been her constant companion the entire evening burned brighter, enhanced by the presence of the most awesome, brilliant and beautiful woman she'd ever known.

Later, once they had returned to the Earth Palace and shut themselves up in Korra's room, she let the lightness fill her completely. She remembered the dream she had told Asami about in that letter, remembered waking in the middle of the night to Raava's peace and warmth. Now she felt it stronger than ever, and it was accompanied by an insatiable desire to share this incredible feeling with Asami. Even though their bare skin was pressed together from head to toe, she felt frustrated by the distance between them. And she felt Raava reaching out for Asami too, pulled by the calling of a kindred spirit, another being that valued the sanctity and necessity of balance.

It was Raava's pull that made Korra say in a breathless whisper: "I want you to feel what I am feeling. Do you trust me, Asami?"

"With my life," answered Asami, staring up at Korra's deep blue eyes, wanting so badly to connect with her. Korra sat up and Asami followed suit, resting her back against the headboard of the bed.

"Don't be afraid," said Korra. She placed one hand on Asami's chest and the other on her forehead, and then she closed her eyes, entered the Avatar state and reached in to Asami's energy in the same technique that Avatar Aang had taught her to restore bending.

Except she didn't bend Asami's energy. Instead, she let their two energies rest against one another for a long moment, giving Asami some time to adjust to the sensation. She let their spirits connect, and then she let Raava shine through.

" _Korra_ ," gasped Asami, because it was the only thing she could possibly say. She was enveloped by peace and light; she knew without question that Raava was with her. She could feel the love Raava had for Korra, and it was exactly the same as Raava's love for Asami. Every cell in Asami's body felt suffused by warmth. It felt as though she was connected to everything in the universe, but she was tethered to the earth by Korra. The two of them were one; Korra was within her, and she was within Korra.

After a timeless moment Korra came out of the Avatar state, separating their energies with a sigh. But the connection between them lingered, a residual tingling of warmth in their bodies. Korra opened her eyes and looked at Asami. Tears were running of those green eyes, rolling down her cheeks in to dark black hair cascading over her shoulders. Korra reached out and used both thumbs to tenderly wipe them away. "Was that too much?" she asked softly.

Completely speechless, Asami just looked at her and shook her head.

"That is how it feels whenever I am with you, Asami. And not just when we are making love, it's all the time. Sometimes I just _look_ at you and I'll feel that lightness inside."

Asami pulled Korra to her, hugging her close and nuzzling her neck, tears still flowing unchecked down her cheeks. "Thank you for sharing that with me, Korra," she said.

"Thank you for _giving_ that to me, Asami," replied Korra. She cupped Asami's chin and gently tilted her head up to kiss her. "Telling you that I love you hardly seems to cover the way I feel about you. From now on when I say that to you, I want you to know what I actually mean. When I say it, I want you to remember what that felt like."

"I will," said Asami. "I could never forget that feeling."

As Korra kissed her again, Asami reflected that it would be impossible for her to ever feel alone again. Experiencing that connection to Korra wasn't a one-time thing; instead, it had forged a link between their spirits, binding them more tightly than she could ever possibly have imagined. She knew that Korra had given her a gift that night, and that the gift was hers to keep for as long as they lived.


	21. The Gala

On the last night of the break in the convention, the representatives were given the option to return early to the Earth Palace to attend a formal gala. Many of the representatives had decided to come, and Mako was busy the entire day preceding the event helping with preparations. Korra, Asami and Bolin pitched in, chatting amiably as they set up tables, laid out seating cards, and decorated the ballroom of the palace.

"This sure is swanky," observed Bolin as he set out some expensive-looking metal utensils. "Who's paying for all this?"

"Various sponsors in the Earth Republic," answered Mako absently. He was holding a clipboard and moving down the list item by item with great care. "Businesses, wealthy citizens, and some of the representatives donated too."

"What's in it for them?" inquired Korra.

Mako laughed. "You guys really don't understand politics," he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" said Bolin, totally offended.

"The gala is its own reward," Asami explained to him kindly. "In Republic City, people would hold functions to gain connections that might be helpful in the long run. With the Earth Republic preparing to install a system to elect representatives, it's going to be important for political candidates to form allies."

"Okay, _you two_ don't understand politics," amended Mako to Bolin and Korra. "Asami seems to have it down pat."

"You don't grow up rich without learning a thing or two about power games," said Asami.

"But what do the representatives have to gain from throwing a party for themselves?" asked Korra. She was sitting at a table folding napkins in to a fancy shape. It was a stupid but oddly satisfying task.

"The representatives won't be the only people here. There will also be important business owners and prominent citizens. It's a chance for the representatives to get to know their more 'helpful' constituents." As Mako spoke, he noticed that Wu had entered the ballroom and was looking around for something. When he spotted Mako, he waved him over. "Be right back."

When Mako had joined him, Wu stepped very close to him to avoid being overheard. "Did you and Korra trap Tom Regent in an earth prison the other night?" he hissed angrily.

"Um, yeah," said Mako, flushing with shame. "Well, Korra trapped him obviously, but I was there too."

"Why would you do a stupid thing like that? Now Jon Regent is trying to have you and Korra thrown out of the convention!"

Mako's heart sank in to his shoes. "Can he do that?"

"You, maybe. Korra, probably not. But he can still cause a big stink about it. Why did you do that?"

"He was following us, and then he attacked us. We didn't do anything to him; he just came at us out of the blue."

"Well, that's not what he told the Ba Sing Se Police Department," said Wu. "He's saying that you and Korra attacked him while he was out for a jog."

"That's a load of polar bear dog poop!" exclaimed Mako. "Tom Regent had been following us all night, and he's been following Asami in Republic City for a month now! The guy's a total criminal!"

" _Keep your voice down!_ " snapped Wu in a loud whisper. "It doesn't matter what he's been doing to Asami. The only thing the BSSPD is going to care about is the fight that happened here. I don't think you guys realize just how influential his family is. They aren't going to let this slide."

"So what should we do?"

"I'm not sure there's anything you _can_ do. At the very least, make sure you and Korra apologize to both Tom and Jon tonight at the gala. If you get on their good graces, maybe they'll drop the complaint."

Mako headed back to his friends and relayed the news in a quiet voice. "Looks like Asami and Bolin might not be the only ones heading back to Republic City tomorrow," he said.

"I'm so sorry, Mako," said Korra sincerely. "I shouldn't have gotten you involved in this. There's no reason for you to get caught up in me and Asami's fight."

"It's okay," sighed Mako glumly. "I mean, I did tell you I'd always have your back."

"Look, maybe we can work something out with the Regents tonight. Don't let yourself get too down about it. It's not over till it's over." Korra reached out and patted him on the back. "I'll apologize. I'll kiss their feet if I have to. Your career is more important than my pride."

Throughout the day more and more representatives returned from their break, and soon the halls of the Earth Republic were teeming with men and women in their finest formal outfits. Korra spent one hour getting ready, and another hour sitting on the bed watching as Asami did her hair and makeup and dressed in an evening gown that made her look so drop-dead gorgeous that Korra felt as though she had to squint when she looked at her.

"I'm afraid I can't let you leave this room wearing that, Asami," she said gravely. "Too many other people are going to be there and I'm afraid someone might try to steal you away."

"Let them try," replied Asami, winking at her in the mirror.

"I can't believe how much work you put in to this. You practically placed every single hair individually in to that hairdo. Don't you know I'm just going to mess it up later?"

"That's half the fun, Korra. Besides, what's the point in being beautiful if I can't make you stare at me like that every once in a while?" She turned and gently patted Korra on the cheek with a teasing smile. "Now wipe off that drool and let's go. I'm ready."

They walked arm-in-arm to Mako's door. "Ready to go, dreamboat?" Korra said once he appeared.

Asami looked him up and down, taking in his tuxedo approvingly. "I know I've told you this before, Mako, but you really clean up nice."

Despite the worry he was feeling about his future at the convention, he smiled at his two friends. "Apparently not well enough for you, though. You two belong together; who else could possibly compete with either one of you?" He kissed both of their cheeks. "Let's get this over with."

"It'll be fine, Mako. I'll just flash a little skin at those Regent creeps and they'll give in right away," said Korra confidently.

"And if she needs backup, I'll be right there, too," added Asami.

Mako couldn't help but feel lightened at the mental image. "You're right," he said. "How could they resist?"

They met up with Bolin outside the ballroom. He was lingering awkwardly waiting for them, looking at all the well-dressed people and feeling out of place. "I can't believe you didn't get me a room up front. No fair that you three got to walk here together," he complained once they joined him.

"You poor thing," deadpanned Mako. "That must have been so traumatic for you."

"I can detect your sarcasm, Mako, and I don't like it," replied Bolin.

"Well, guess there's no point delaying this any further," said Korra. She wrapped her arm around Asami's waist and gestured to the door. "Shall we go be stared at by hundreds of well-dressed diplomats and businesspeople?"

"We shall," answered Asami. "Don't let them see you sweat. Just do what I do: Keep your chin up, and remind yourself over and over that all of these people are here because they need something from _you_."

"They don't need anything from me," chimed in Bolin. "What should I do?"

"I can't help you, there, Bolin. I guess you're just going to have to fake it."

"Don't worry," said Mako. "With Korra and Asami here, no one is going to be looking at you or me."

That proved to be true. Korra and Asami entered the ballroom first, and for a moment the conversation got distinctly quieter before returning to its previous volume. People parted to allow them passage, many of them giving tiny bows of respect, which Korra returned with inclines of her head. Mako and Bolin followed in their wake, and no one seemed to be paying any attention to them.

"Oh thank goodness," said Bolin. "Everyone else is over there already."

The airbenders and Tonraq were milling around at their table, the kids staring around at all the people in awe. "Everyone is so fancy," they heard Meelo say as they approached.

"Hey guys," said Korra once they were close enough for conversation. "You all look great."

Her father looked distinguished in water tribe formal wear and Tenzin's family was in their airbender finest, looking very dignified and monkish. Standing to greet them, Tenzin said: "You too. I know this type of occasion isn't your favorite, but it's nice to see you making an effort at least."

"I didn't have a choice," admitted Korra, thinking of her upcoming apology to the Regent brothers.

People came to their table to exchange polite conversation, and Korra was relieved that she remembered most people's names. And the people that she didn't know or remember, Mako tactfully introduced and re-introduced them for her. She introduced Asami many times, using the term "partner," which she thought had sounded a lot better than "girlfriend" when Lu Cee had used it to introduce Ren. Plus, she liked the finality and permanence of the term; it served to head off many attempts at flirtation with Asami before they even had a chance to occur.

Eventually, dinner was served and everyone moved to their seats. Wu lead them in a simple toast: "To the Earth Republic," and then they ate the fanciest, richest meal that Korra had ever tasted.

"Not bad," she said, "but I wouldn't want to eat like this every day."

"Of course not," agreed Asami. "They just serve this kind of food because they want to remind everybody of how much money they have to burn."

"When you put it that way, I almost don't like it as much," said Korra.

The tables were made of rock, so once dinner had finished they were bent away and turned in to a dance floor. As sleepy ballroom music began to play, people began to mingle; this was the part of the evening where _real_ work would be done. Groups of diplomats and money-makers stood together speaking in broad terms at first, and then getting narrower and narrower until the conversations ended with making deals and shaking hands.

"Look over there," said Asami quietly to Korra after one representative had left them. "See the old man with the Regents? That's Lau Gan-Lan."

The two Regent brothers were standing off to the side, deep in conversation with a tall, skinny old man with a white beard that reached all the way down to his belt. As Asami and Korra looked at them, they all three looked back. It couldn't have been more obvious that the two groups were talking about each other at that very moment.

Korra sighed deeply. "I guess I can't put this off any longer," she said. "I'd better go over there."

"I'll come with you," said Asami. "I know Gan-Lan so it won't be strange."

"I have never loved you more than I do at this moment," replied Korra. "Thank you. I so don't want to go over there alone."

They crossed the ballroom and approached the three men, who turned to face them. Lau Gan-Lan stepped forward and took Asami's hand, dropping in to a deep bow and kissing the back of it. It was by far the most brazen physical contact that anyone had tried on Asami yet. To her credit, she took it in stride, smiling placidly and hiding her disgust.

"Miss Sato," he said once he had straightened up. "It is so nice to see you again."

"You as well, Mr. Gan-Lan," she replied.

"How many times have I told you to call me Lau?" he chided affectionately, winking at her. Korra tried to keep her expression neutral, but her stomach was churning; suddenly she regretted eating all that buttery food. "I was so saddened to hear about your father," continued Gan-Lan. "He was one of the finest businessmen I've ever met."

"He was really more of an inventor," said Asami flatly. "But thank you for your sympathy."

"And how is Future Industries faring without him? I assume you are running it still, as you were after his imprisonment?"

Gan-Lan was really laying it on thick, thought Korra. He seemed to be trying to get in as many verbal barbs on Asami in as short a time as possible, and yet everything he was saying was in a sweet, caring tone. Korra remembered Asami telling her about Gan-Lan that day in her satomobile, and she decided that Asami was right: Lau Gan-Lan was the worst.

"Yes, I'm still running it. It's going very well." She gestured to Korra and said: "Mr. Gan-Lan, I'd like to introduce my partner Korra."

"Ah, yes," said Gan-Lan, "I'd heard that you were running around with the Avatar and her friends. It's an honor to meet you, Avatar Korra." Gan-Lan took Korra's hand and kissed it; she resisted the urge to wipe it off on her dress.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. Gan-Lan," said Korra. "I can't help but feel that our two paths have been dancing around one another for the last couple of weeks but have still somehow failed to cross."

It was an allusion to the fact that she had pretended to be on her way to Gan-Lan's estate on the night that she had fought Tom Regent. Korra shifted her blue-eyed gaze over to Tom. He looked as though he was torn between annoyance and confusion—she guessed that all the subtleties of the conversation were flying right over his head.

Jon Regent, on the other hand, was looking right at her with a piercing eye. "I heard about your attempted house call," he said. "My brother really didn't appreciate the way you and your friend Mako left things."

"I had to wait until dawn for someone to come by," said Tom; he finally seemed to have grasped the conversation. "Lucky for me, it was a police officer."

"Look, I'm sorry about that," said Korra with some difficulty. "I shouldn't have left you there all night. But you have to admit, you're the one who attacked us first. I'm willing to drop the whole thing if you are."

"I'm going to be perfectly honest with you, Avatar Korra," interjected Gan-Lan. "My associates here believe that you know something about Sen Inc and Cah-Bage Corp, but I'm not so convinced." He moved closer, smiling as he spoke. "I'm only an old man. I've just returned from a long work-related trip and I'm still attempting to play catch-up on all that I've missed here. But somehow I don't believe that you're entirely caught up either." He glanced at Asami, and then continued: "Now, I know you want to help your _partner_ here, but I think it's in all of our best interests if you just… give this one up. You are wasting your time. There is nothing you could hope to discover that will stop us from producing the SUMs. They're popular. People love them. And we're making a lot of money off them. You can hardly fault us for that, can you?"

Korra met his gaze evenly and said nothing.

"It isn't Cah-Bage Corp or Sen Inc's fault that Miss Sato's company is going broke. Perhaps if she had been a little more attentive, she wouldn't be in this position. My associates will agree to let the incident in the park go, provided _you_ let _our_ business go." Gan-Lan backed away and bowed to the two of them once more. "It was nice seeing you again, Miss Sato. And Avatar Korra, it was ever so lovely to meet you."

The three men turned and walked off, quickly lost to Korra and Asami through the crowd.

For a moment, the two of them stood there in silence, Korra clenching her fists at her side and Asami with her arms crossed over her stomach. Finally, Korra said: "I do _not_ like that guy."

Seeing that they had finished their conversation, Mako approached them and asked hesitantly: "So… What happened? Are they going to try to kick us out of the convention?"

Korra shook her head. "I don't think so."

"What does that mean?"

Glancing briefly at him, Korra said, "I think they have bigger things on their mind. I doubt they'll kick up a fuss anymore." She couldn't help but watch Asami's expression out of the corner of her eye; she looked totally heartbroken and distraught. Leaning in close to her, she whispered: "Let's get out of here."

Asami just nodded, and Korra put her arm around her waist and led her out of the ballroom. No one tried to stop them.

Once they were back in Korra's room, Asami sat on the bed and looked at Korra sadly. "Is he right?" she asked. "Have I been crazy this whole time because I'm thinking about my company?"

"No," answered Korra firmly. "Absolutely not, Asami. Something bizarre is definitely happening here, and it's got to be because of Gan-Lan and the Regents. We didn't imagine that attack on the mountain, and there's no denying that only I can bend that metal. Not to mention the stalking, the vandalism, and Tom's attack the other night. There's no way I'm going to let this drop. We are going to get to the bottom of this. We'll just have to be sneakier about it so they don't try to boot Mako."

Leaning against Korra's shoulder, Asami sighed morosely. "Future Industries is going to go bankrupt though. And I probably will, too. Will you still love me when I'm penniless?"

"Are you kidding me?" laughed Korra. "Asami, I would love you if you shaved your head and got air nomad tattoos. The day that Future Industries goes under, I'll be there to take you home and help you write your resume. You are not your money. You have money because you're awesome. Anyone would be lucky to have you working for them. I bet Varrick would buy you out or hire you or however that would work."

Asami couldn't believe she hadn't thought of that. "That's actually a pretty good point," she said. "I'd never considered that Varrick might be my key to saving Future Industries again. Now that he's trustworthy, I could sell him Future Industries. We already work together on so much stuff. He would make a good business partner, and so would Zhu Li."

"There, see? That's the spirit. Although if I ever catch you telling Zhu Li to 'do the thing,' I may have to break up with you."

"Oh, don't worry about that," replied Asami with a sultry look at Korra. "You're the only woman I want to have the thing done by."

Korra burst in to laughter. "That was terrible."

After a second, Asami joined in. "You're right, that was really bad." Still smiling, she gently tugged Korra down for a kiss. "You talked me out of a funk," she said.

"I get you, Asami," said Korra with an answering smile.

"Yes, you do."

In the pre-dawn hours the following morning, Korra and Asami stood sharing a long, heartfelt embrace in the stone courtyard where the zeppelin was waiting to take everyone back to Republic City. "At the longest, it'll only be another month until we see each other again," Korra whispered through Asami's long, dark hair.

"Only a month?" replied Asami with a weak chuckle; she wasn't even trying to pretend she wasn't crying.

"It's not that bad. We did it once, we can do it again." She kissed Asami sweetly, and then brushed an errant strand of hair away from her face. "I'll call you tonight with the lab results." They had decided that it would be safer if Korra went alone to the university to check the sample. Asami's professor had agreed to translate the results for her, and Korra would relay them to Asami over the phone.

"Okay." At that moment, Asami couldn't possibly care less about the lab sample, the SUMs, or her failing company. All she cared about were these last few precious seconds with the other half of her soul. "I love you," she said.

"I love you, too." Korra placed her palm against Asami's heart. "Don't forget."

Remembering that night when she had gotten a glimpse of what it must be like to be bonded with Raava, Asami replied: "I won't."

Korra stood and watched as Asami joined Bolin, Pema and her kids in the airship. As it lifted off, she waved at Asami through the window, and she continued watching until the airship had disappeared above the clouds.

Then she became aware that someone was walking up behind her. "Korra," said the person; she turned and saw Genly Ai. There was a worried look in his eye that she had never seen there before. "I'm sorry to bother you."

"It's no bother," said Korra, surreptitiously trying to wipe away the last remnants of her tears. "What's up?"

"I've just gotten off the phone with your friend Opal," he said. "Haku has not returned from the spirit world."


	22. Haku Alone

_Five Days Earlier_

Haku spotted Opal the moment he stepped off the airship. She was hard to miss; even if he hadn't seen her air bison Juicy, he would have smelled him right away. He raised his hand in greeting as he walked towards her, but she ignored that gesture and gave him a friendly hug instead. "It's good to see you, Haku," she said sincerely. "How have you been?"

"I'm doing well, how are you?"

"I'm great! How is the convention going?"

"It's wonderful. We are moving along at a good clip. I can't anticipate the process taking longer than six months, which might sound like a long time but is actually quite short." He looked around at the destroyed city. "How are the reconstruction efforts coming along?"

"It's going pretty well, although we have had a slight setback at the portal."

"Setback?" inquired Haku.

"Yeah, I'll tell you about it on the way."

Haku tossed his rucksack up in to the saddle before using earthbending to give himself a leg up on to Juicy's back. He sat as close to the front as he could so that he could continue to talk with Opal, who had airbent herself up on to the driver's seat.

Giving the reigns a shake, Opal said: "Juicy, yip yip. Yeah. The vines are sort of an issue. It looks like we may have to give up on the idea of paving the portal. Every time we level a section of it, the vines rip it back up and regrow. They used to do the same thing when Korra tried to remove them just after Harmonic Convergence, so we've kind of learned that we can't force the vines to do anything."

"How many times have you tried?"

Opal considered this. "I'd have to ask Aunt Lin to get a definite answer, but I think this is our fourth time. Korra was here for the first only; she helped level the portion closest to the portal but it's completely reverted by now."

"It seems to me that you ought to know that you're fighting a losing battle," said Haku. "I admire your unflappable spirit, but four times is a little ridiculous."

"I agree with you," said Opal, "but _you_ try telling that to my Aunt Lin."

Haku laughed. "Ah yes, how could I forget? The vines aren't the only thing with a mind of their own; they may yet meet their match in Lin Beifong." He smiled as he looked out over the city, his gaze inevitably drawn to the spirit portal. "You know, they say that spirit vines are like the veins of both worlds. Even in our own world, we have spirit wilds with vines that run for miles, such as the banyan-tree grove that Kuvira destroyed for her weapon. Maybe the fact that the portal is surrounded by vines is a way for the spirits to tell us that Republic City is now connected."

"Connected to what?"

"Connected to _everything_ ," said Haku passionately, his eyes alight. "Korra brought us the spirits and now they live alongside mankind after ten thousand years of separation. I believe that what we are seeing here in Republic City is only the beginning. In a few years, maybe the vines will be in Ba Sing Se, too."

"You'd better hope for your sake you're wrong about that," said Opal. "It was a huge hassle when the vines first came here. People were not happy about it."

"And now, are they happy about it?" questioned Haku.

"I don't know. I guess so. I think by now people are starting to realize that it's pretty nice having the spirits around."

She thought about an experience she'd had earlier that day. Bolin had left for Ba Sing Se for five days and Opal hadn't been able to see him off at the airfield because she had been called for a mission outside the city. Yesterday a woman had gone in to labor in a remote part of the countryside on the opposite side of the bay from the city. Her son, in a panic, had waterbent his way to Air Temple Island seeking help. Opal and Jinora had ended up being with her all night before the baby was finally delivered just a few hours ago. When she had returned to Bolin's empty apartment for a nap, she had felt so lonely and sad that she'd missed her chance to say goodbye to him that she had almost started to cry.

But then spirits had appeared all around her. They had reached out their tiny glowing hands and paws to comfort her. It had made her feel strangely better to know that she wasn't alone.

"They seem to like humans," continued Opal out loud. "I've heard a lot of people say that the spirits come to them when they're lonely."

"That is common," Haku told her. "Many texts written by spiritual leaders say that the spirits have a natural inclination to comfort people. The only difference now is that the spirits are visible _everyone_ , not just a special few who are spiritually gifted."

"They're playful, too," added Opal.

"Another common observation. People have a tendency to dwell on the dark spirits, so they forget that the majority of spirits are peaceful, loving beings. According to Korra's retelling of the story of the first Avatar, Avatar Wan proved that the humans and the spirits _can_ live together in harmony, but it requires active participation on both parts. We rely on the Avatar to maintain balance, but in actuality, it is truly a world-wide effort."

"A _team_ effort. Jinora says most Avatars have a team."

"She's right," confirmed Haku. "Almost every documented Avatar's life includes some sort of close-knit team."

They arrived at the spirit portal, and Haku saw at once what Opal had described. The entire crater looked as fresh as the day it had been formed, coated with a healthy carpet of spirit vines and crawling with little spirits. After dismounting, Haku knelt and put his hand on one of the vines, closing his eyes. For a long moment he sat, and gradually he became aware of a rhythmic pounding, faint but definitely there. When he next spoke, it was as if he didn't particularly care whether anyone was listening. His voice was filled with awe. "It's like the beating of the heart," he said.

Opal knelt next to him and put her hand on the vine as well. "I don't feel anything," she said.

"That's because you're an airbender," said a new voice, and Haku looked up to see Lin Beifong standing nearby with her hands on her hips. "Haku can feel the earth because he is connected to it."

"Interesting theory." Haku grinned and rose to clasp hands with Lin. "It's good to see you again, Chief Beifong."

"You as well, Haku. Been practicing over there in the Earth Republic?"

"Just about every day. Genly and I work together on our metalbending, and I've been walking around without shoes at every available opportunity."

Lin nodded approvingly. "I'm glad to hear that, especially since you apparently intend to enter the spirit world alone. Have you really thought this through? It sounds like madness to me."

Turning to look at the portal, Haku said: "I've thought it through. It has always been a dream of mine to one day see the spirit world, but I didn't think I'd ever get the opportunity to go to either of the poles. This new portal calls out to me in a way I can't quite describe. So yes, Chief, I'm certain. Madness or not, I'm going." He hitched his rucksack up on to his shoulder. "The plan is just as I wrote to you in my letter, Opal. I'm going to go through this portal now. Then I will spend five days in the spirit world, and I will return on the morning of the sixth day to make it back to Ba Sing Se in time for the tail end of the convention's first day back. If I do not return by the morning on the sixth day, contact my brother. He will know what to do."

Both Opal and Lin nodded their understanding. "Got it," said Opal. She came forward and gave him another hug. "I hope you have a nice time."

Shaking his hand again, Lin said: "Be careful."

"I will. Thank you both."

Then he turned and walked without hesitation in to the great beam of yellow light.

He was immediately stuck with a sense of color and light and _life_. He was standing in a windswept field with a carpet of multicolored flowers so densely grown that it was impossible to see where one flower ended and the next began. Glowing neon butterflies were feeding off them, flitting from flower to flower, raising and lowering their altitude. Some of them were playing, chasing each other around against the rich backdrop of unrivaled beauty.

Haku took a few steps away from the portal, walking as lightly as possible; he felt as though it was an irreparable tragedy to step on the flowers, but as he walked, the flowers seemed to move along _with_ him. They were urging him on, welcoming him. So he walked, now seeing eel-like spirits that seemed to swim along in the sky, and a rock which turned out to be some sort of spirit, a boulder with huge stone arms and legs. He came upon a river and looked down in to its perfectly clear, transparent water to the many-faced fish which darted here and there. Among the rocks on the shore, tiny lizards ran around shooting minuscule plumes of fire.

It was by far the most magnificent place he had ever been, and his travels had only just begun. Picking a direction at random, he put the spirit portal behind him and started walking.

All day he walked. He crossed through the flower field in to a forest that was teeming with spiritual life, and past that he came upon a massive, raging river that seemed to be home to infinite aquatic creatures that swam endlessly against the current. As he went he stopped frequently to write in a tiny notebook, or to just sit and stare in wonder. At nightfall he lay on his bedroll and stared up at the lights dancing in the sky, and at the little firefly spirits that were like stars just above him.

On the second day he came upon another forest, this one far less dense than the previous one he had gone through. When he stopped to make a note in his journal, he heard a twig crack and perked his ears up. Somehow, he knew with a certainty that he wasn't alone in this forest. But the spirits in the trees around him didn't seem to be afraid, so he saw no reason to be, either.

"You appear lost," said a gruff but not unfriendly voice, and a squat old man with a white beard, a big belly and a kind smile came through the foliage towards him. Haku knew immediately that it was General Iroh.

Smiling back at Iroh, Haku replied: "Not all who wander are lost."

Beaming at him, Iroh said, "Yes, you are correct about that. Who are you, my friend?"

"My name is Haku Ai. I come from a state called Gethen in the Earth Republic. I came through here from the spirit portal in Republic City. I have wandered a long way."

"Have you?" asked Iroh. "Are you sure about that?" He lifted his hand and waved at something behind Haku.

Haku looked behind him and his jaw fell open in shock. The spirit portal that he had left the day before was somehow barely half a mile away. "How is that possible?"

"Distances in the spirit world have a funny way about them. With the right guide it is possible to make great journeys in only a few steps. Would you like to come join me for a cup of tea and a game of Pai Sho?"

Turning back to him, Haku forgot about the spirit portal and said: "Sure."

Iroh led him to a clearing. In the middle sat a Pai Sho board in the sparkling sunlight. It was already set up for a game, and on top of it, off to the side, was a teapot. They sat at the table. Iroh poured two steaming cups of tea, and they began their game. "So, Haku Ai, what are you doing in the spirit world?"

"I'm just here to be here," said Haku. "I've been studying the spirits my entire life and I just wanted to see what this place was like. The spirit world… it calls to me."

"I was the same way when I was a young man," replied Iroh. "I spent many years looking for the wrong thing in the material world, but coming here in search of knowledge set me on the correct path."

"What path is that, General Iroh?"

"The path of _balance_. When I fought to take Ba Sing Se, every rock I tore down fell on to the scale, until finally it tipped in one direction. The world had lost its Avatar, and the Fire Nation exploited its opportunity."

"Balance is a worldwide effort. A _team_ effort," said Haku. It didn't strike him as odd that he just talked to Opal about this topic before he had left. It seemed right and natural. "If you and the rest of the Fire Nation were able to tip the scales, why should the Avatar be the only person to tip it back?"

"The Avatar is only one person," agreed Iroh. "Sometimes, it is up to _us_ to help maintain balance." He looked gravely at Haku. "Something is happening. The scales are once again tipping, despite the Avatar's presence and efforts."

The words alarmed Haku. He felt his heart race at double-time. "What is it? What's happening?"

"I do not have words to describe it. You must see it for yourself. But it is far, very far indeed."

"But you said distances have a funny way. Surely you could take me there?"

Inclining his head, Iroh confirmed: "You will find a guide. But the guide is not me. I am only here to remind you that no Avatar balances the world on her own. Korra is a wonderful young woman, and a powerful bender. But the Avatar is not the only person in the world who can help to maintain balance."

Haku played a move in their Pai Sho game that secured him the win, and Iroh laughed with delight.

"It has been a very long time since I have lost a game of Pai Sho. The spirits here are not the greatest players." He studied Haku closely, and Haku felt as though those ruddy eyes were seeing right through him, right inside him. "You remind me of myself as young man. But you must go now. Time is of the essence."

They stood and bowed to each other. Then Haku picked up his rucksack and left the clearing. Even though he had no idea where he was going, he was certain he was going the right way. In the middle of a field, he saw a blue fox spirit with yellow eyes waiting patiently. When Haku got close the fox turned and trotted off, and Haku followed.

The landscape around him melted and re-formed, shifted and changed like the passage of the seasons. There seemed to be mountains all around him, then grassy plains, then nothing, then another forest. Spirits came and went as they pleased, but all the time Haku kept his gaze on the blue tail of the fox ahead of him. It seemed as though he had been walking for days, but he knew it must have been only a few minutes. Eventually the fox stopped, sat down, and looked back at Haku. Understanding that they had reached their destination, Haku looked around.

All around him were rocky crags and cliffs. A bitterly cold wind swept over the desolate landscape, making a forlorn whistling sound. Directly in front of him was a particularly large rock formation that he could not see around. Above him the sky was black with sooty clouds. Somehow, Haku knew that this place did not used to be this way. Something was happening here.

Getting to its feet, the fox spirit trotted carefully towards the rock formation and Haku followed. They moved around the rock slowly, and on the other side, Haku saw something that made his heart stop.

Two spirit portals.

He was standing on a cliff overlooking the place where the great battle between Raava and Vaatu took place every ten thousand years. Between the two portals stood the Tree of Time, ancient and noble.

But there were humans, too.

So many humans. So much machinery.

The humans had turned the place in to a mine.

Without warning, he found himself encased in a prison of earth; he had been spotted. There was shouting and the scuffling of shoes over dry, rocky dirt, and then he felt a hard blow around the back of his head. He saw stars. Then, there was only darkness.

When he awoke, he had no idea how long he had been out. He was lying on a cold metal surface; he was fairly certain his hands and feet were bound tightly. His head was throbbing as if it had been split open, and when he tried to uncurl out of the fetal position a wave of nausea swept over him. Any energy he had been feeling was immediately expelled as he turned his head and vomited. Then he passed out again.

The next time he awoke he felt a lot better, which he took as a bad sign. It meant that he had probably been wherever he was for quite some time. He was more hungry and thirsty than he had ever been in his entire life. Testing his limbs slowly, he found that his feet were bound together in thick metal chains, as were his hands. The chains on his hands were attached to another chain around his waist. Clearly, whoever had bound him had restrained earthbenders before; there was absolutely no way he could bend when he was tied up this way. Even if he could, he appeared to be sitting in a box made out of the same unbendable metal used in the SUMs.

With some effort, he pulled himself to his feet and looked out the barred eyehole of his prison. The Tree of Time was right in front of him and behind that, a portal; he guessed that the second portal must be somewhere behind him. This position gave him a view of what was being done. Huge machines all around the Tree of Time were constantly pumping slurry out in to a makeshift reservoir. Machines had dug a slanted hold in the ground, and many dirty workers were going in and out of the hole. The ones going in were pushing empty wheelbarrows. The ones coming out had wheelbarrows overflowing with a dark, shiny rock. Due to the unbendable nature of the rock, all the work was being done by huge, ugly machines that spat black smoke in to the air.

"Good morning sunshine," said a voice, and suddenly a man appeared right in his line of sight. When the man stepped back a bit, Haku could see familiar features on his face; this could only be Ron Regent, owner of Sen Incorporated. "We were wondering if you were going to pull through. Looks like you did. Congratulations."

"This is the most despicable thing I have ever seen," snarled Haku, enraged beyond belief. "You are desecrating the most spiritual place in two worlds."

"And I'm getting paid tons of cash to do it," replied Regent. "All I have to do is stand here and watch my people work, and I'm putting billions in my own pocket. Pretty cool, huh? Actually, cool is the right word. It really stinks living in the South Pole, but hey. No pain no gain, right?"

"You cannot do this," said Haku. "You have to stop. You'll throw both worlds out of balance!"

"Over a couple of rocks? Come on."

Haku remembered Iroh's comment about Ba Sing Se's stones falling on to the scale. "You have no understanding of these things, Regent. There will be consequences for this."

"Consequences? From who? No one owns this land."

"The Avatar," answered Haku. "The Avatar will punish you for this."

"I'm not worried about that little girl," said Regent. "She's too busy with her picture-perfect romance to be the Avatar anymore. We've been practically parading this stuff under her nose for a month now. She'll never figure it out."

"You're wrong. She is going to figure it out, and soon. She can bend this metal. She knows there's something off about it. She _will_ come!" Now Haku was practically yelling, and Regent banged on the metal box with something equally as hard, causing an almighty bang that brought Haku's headache back in a rush.

"True, we didn't predict that she would be able to bend the metal. It must be because she's the bridge between the humans and the spirits, blah blah blah. But it's no matter. We're allowed to use this rock. It doesn't _belong_ to anyone." Regent glanced at his watch. "Anyway, I should head back. We're planning to get rid of that pesky tree tomorrow and we're expecting our logging machinery in the South Pole any moment now."

" _What?_ " gasped Haku, horror and rage infusing every cell in his body. "You cannot destroy that tree! That is the Tree of Time! It has existed for as long as _time_ has existed!" In the back of his mind, he heard Iroh's words: _Time is of the essence._

"Yeah, I know," said Regent. "But it's sitting right over the densest, most valuable ore I've ever seen and it's in our way. It may have existed since the beginning of time, but it should only take us a few hours to cut it down. Anyway, have fun in there tonight. Hope it doesn't get too cold for you," he said as he casually strolled off to the portal behind Haku's box. Minutes later, all the workers had gone as well.

Now completely alone, Haku sat in stunned silence for a while before being overtaken with the urgent need to escape. He knew he had to tell someone about what was happening here immediately. There was no way he was going to let Regent destroy that tree.

He performed a close inspection of his prison but found nothing that could possibly help him escape. The entire box, the cuffs binding his hands and feet, and the chain they were connected to were all made out of unbendable spirit metal. But he refused to give up hope. Dropping down to the floor of the box, he sat in as close to a meditating position as he could and bowed his head. "Spirits," he said, "I will help you. I need to break free so I can bring help. We will protect your world."

When he opened his eyes, the blue fox spirit was sitting before him. Haku stared in to its pale yellow eyes for a long moment. He knew then that the fox was going to help him escape. "I trust you," he said to it.

Closing his eyes again, he felt the fox spirit enter his own spirit, and the two of them were fused. Suddenly he could feel earth in the metal all around him: The fox's spirit gave him the ability to bend this metal.

He got to his feet and pulled as hard as he could on the chains binding his hands to his waist; they snapped as easily as if they were made of paper. Then he ripped apart the bindings on his hands and feet, and within seconds he had bent open the metal box and took off at a sprint towards the mountains in the distance.

As he ran he felt the fox spirit flow out of him, but at the same time he knew that he had been forever changed by it. He could feel that he was on the verge of collapse. He was weak from the attack, his thirst and his hunger, and the fusion with the fox spirit had taken an additional great toll on his body. But it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was getting back to Republic City. Iroh's words came back to him: _The Avatar is not the only person who can help to maintain balance._

Haku kept his eyes on the blue fox ahead of him, knowing that it would show him the way. The distance slid away and within moments he arrived at the portal he had used to come to the spirit world.

It was early afternoon when something came stumbling out of the spirit portal in Republic City. All the activity around the portal ceased as everyone stared. Having just finished briefing her officers on their rescue mission in the spirit world, Lin Beifong turned towards the beam of light and recognized Haku Ai despite the changes that had come over him. Haku's ears had moved to the top of his head and looked like a dog's; they were covered in light blue fuzz. In addition, all his hair was now powder blue.

Haku took two steps away from the portal before collapsing on the ground. Lin ran over to him and knelt beside him. "Haku," she said, putting a hand on his chest. She was relieved to feel his steady heartbeat. "Haku, what happened?"

When Haku opened his eyes, they were a pale yellow instead of green. Seeing Lin seemed to give him a little more energy. He tried to speak and his voice was so quiet that Lin had to put her ear right near his mouth to hear him. As she did, she noticed that his canines were longer and sharper, more dog-like than human.

"Chief," he rasped weakly. "I need to speak to Asami Sato."


	23. The University in Ba Sing Se

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost there now! This is the home stretch. I have three quick things I'd like to address-
> 
> First, to those of you saying it's unlikely that a spirit would merge with Haku: I think I explain it a little better in this chapter but just to 100% spell it out, I'm referring to the spirit occupation that happened in Avatar Wan's time during Book 2 of LoK. Maybe I didn't use the right words to explain it, but that's what I meant. It's like the old guy that looked like a tree and the hunter that the Aye-aye spirit occupied who afterwards had lemur-like qualities.
> 
> Second, to those who are skeptical of the realistic-ness of the plot: Wait until the end, then we'll talk more about this.
> 
> And finally: These next couple of chapters might be a little confusing time-line wise. It may take you a second to understand what's going on. For every different storyline, I'm picking up where it left off and following it until it meets up with the other storylines, like I did with Haku's story in the last chapter. This chapter is Korra's part, next will be Asami's. Then after that they'll all three be caught up with each other.
> 
> As always, enjoy!

Korra and Genly strode hastily through the hallways of the Earth Palace. She led Genly to her room and went immediately to her telephone. As she picked up the dial she realized she didn't know the number she needed by heart, so she went to her dresser and rummaged until she found a small notebook. Then she sat at the desk and dialed. Meanwhile, Genly was pacing back and forth nervously, obviously distraught.

The phone rang for a long time before someone answered.

"Lin Beifong," said an irritated voice.

"Chief, it's Korra."

"It's about time. We've been trying to reach you for the last hour."

"I'm sorry. I was seeing Asami off. What's happening? Is there any news?"

"We're assembling a search party," said Lin. "I personally will be leading a group of officers in to the spirit world to retrieve Haku."

Despite the situation, Korra couldn't help but smile. When Lin liked someone, she'd do anything for that person. She was nothing if not loyal. "I'll come too," said Korra. "Will you wait for me to get there?"

"No. Absolutely not. We don't need you. We will find Haku, and we will bring him home safely. My men and I can handle this on our own."

"Lin, I have a bad feeling about this. At least let me meditate in and help. I really think I should go," argued Korra.

"And I really think you should stay," snapped Lin. "Republic City is connected to the spirit world now whether we like it or not. I highly doubt this is the only time we'll ever need to do a rescue mission there. Give us twenty-four hours. If we don't find him in twenty-four hours, then you can come back to Republic City. Until that time, you are to physically and spiritually stay in Ba Sing Se and continue to do your Avatar duties there."

Korra bristled at the implication that Lin had any control over how she performed her Avatar duties. "Is that an order, Chief?" she asked sarcastically.

"No, it's a _plea_ ," replied Lin. "Korra, I'm dead serious about this. The RCPD has this under control. I'm asking you to give us a chance to do our jobs without you coming to bail us out."

It was the most open that Lin had ever been with Korra, and that fact didn't escape Korra's notice. Lin was asking Korra for a favor; she legitimately believed that the RCPD needed to do this job in order to gain valuable experience.

"I understand where you're coming from," said Korra, "but I don't think it's right to gamble on Haku's life this way. I've got Genly Ai here with me and he's really concerned about his brother, and I'm concerned about him too."

"Put Genly on the phone," said Lin unexpectedly.

Wordlessly, Korra handed him the receiver. "Chief Beifong," said Genly.

"Genly, we are going to find your brother. Do you believe me?"

"Yes," answered Genly.

"We can do this without Korra. I want the two of you to remain in Ba Sing Se for twenty-four hours. Give us a chance to find him. You two focus on the convention. We've got this."

Genly bowed his head, hoping he wasn't about to make the wrong decision. "I'm counting on you, Chief. If anyone other than Korra can find Haku, it would be you."

"Thank you. Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

She hung up abruptly, and Genly put the receiver back on the hook. "We'll give her twenty-four hours," he said to Korra. "I believe that Haku would want us to stay here anyway."

"You're probably right about that," admitted Korra. "He wouldn't want us to miss the convention."

So they did attend the convention, but neither Korra nor Genly were paying very close attention to the proceedings taking place during the first day back. Both kept looking at the empty seat where Haku Ai was supposed to be sitting. Korra's stomach was churning in a feeling she had come to recognize as unrest in Raava, and she was frustrated at her inability to help. It was harder for her to not act than it was for her to act.

During the lunch break, they went to Korra's room to get a progress report on the search party; they hadn't left yet but would be leaving shortly. Afterwards, the two of them sat outside on the stone steps of the palace, neither of them having much of an appetite. While they were sitting there, Mako came over. "I noticed your brother isn't here," he said. "Everything alright?"

"Haku is missing. He never returned from the spirit world," Genly told him.

"That's terrible!" said Mako. "Let's go get him, Korra!"

Again, it was a moment where Korra couldn't help but smile. She really did have some great friends. "Lin said not to come. She thinks they have it under control."

When the representatives reconvened Korra noticed that Jon Regent had not come back from the lunch break, but she barely spared a single thought for him. She was far too worried about Haku. Once the day's session was over, she and Genly went back to Korra's room and telephoned the RCPD again.

"Haku has returned," said Lin without preamble once she knew it was Korra on the line. "My team and I were just about to enter the portal when he stumbled out. He's in a bad way. The healers say he is dehydrated and suffering from mild starvation. There is a sizable lump on the back of his head; the healers suspect he was hit with a blunt object. He also has undergone some… physical changes."

"Physical changes?" asked Korra, her head spinning with all the sudden information she was receiving. She had gone from worry, to relief, back to worry, to confusion in less than thirty seconds. "What does that mean?"

"He has ears like a dog, and his hair is blue. His eyes are yellow, too."

Through her connection to Raava, Korra saw again the story of the first Avatar play through her mind. "Spirit fusion," she said quietly.

"What? I didn't catch that," said Lin.

"Never mind," replied Korra. "Did he say anything about what happened?"

"Nothing." There was a momentary pause; Lin hesitated before saying: "He asked for Asami."

" _What?_ "

"He asked to speak to Asami, and then he passed out. He's been unconscious ever since."

Korra didn't know what to say. She couldn't imagine what could possibly possess Haku to ask to speak to Asami. The two of them didn't even know each other very well. Finally she said: "Asami should be landing there soon. What are you planning to do?"

"I'm going to pick her up at the airfield and bring her to the hospital," said Lin. "Haku asked for her. I don't know what the poor kid's been through, but I figure I can at least help him that much."

This plan suited Korra just fine. She had little doubt that after speaking to Haku, Asami would call her immediately. "Well, that won't happen for at least another two hours when Asami lands, if Haku is even awake by then," she said. "Listen, I'm going to hang up so I can fill Genly in on the other half of this conversation."

"Just a moment, Korra. I wanted to say thank you for letting us take this one. You may be the Avatar, but you can leave a little responsibility for the rest of us, if you want," said Lin, and her tone was even a little warm.

"Thanks for the idea, Chief," replied Korra with a smile. "I think I might start doing that every now and then."

After she had hung up, she filled Genly in on the parts of the conversation that he hadn't been able to hear. "So you think the changes are because he was occupied by a spirit?" he asked once she had finished.

"Yes, it seems pretty obvious to me that that's what happened. But there's no way to know why or how it happened. In Avatar Wan's times the spirits used their ability to fuse with humans as a weapon."

Genly swallowed hard, obviously trying to remain calm and collected. "Do you think he was attacked by the spirits?"

"It's possible," said Korra. "Some of the spirits in the spirit world can be malicious towards humans for no reason whatsoever. They might be resenting the fact that humans are now physically entering the spirit world." Genly nodded wordlessly, and Korra saw that he was on the verge of tears. "Hey, it's going to be alright," said Korra, moving her chair closer to put a comforting hand on his arm. "Haku will pull through. There are plenty of talented healers in Republic City."

"I know, but he will still permanently bear the mark of his ordeal. This may very well be the end of Haku's political career."

Korra had no words of comfort for that, because she knew Genly was probably right. Knowing what she now knew about the citizens of Gethen, she guessed that once they saw his physical changes they would never elect Haku again. Even if he regained his health, he would almost certainly become an outcast.

"We need to take your mind off this," said Korra with finality. "We won't hear anything until Asami lands anyway, so we may as well kill some time. I have to go to the university and pick up the lab results of the metal sample that Asami prepared. Why don't you come with me?"

Grateful for the distraction, Genly agreed and the two of them set off. It now seemed like almost every car on the streets was an SUM. Despite the somber day, Korra was looking forward to seeing the results of the lab test. It was entirely possible that she might be about to solve the mystery that had been plaguing her and Asami ever since that day when they had visited the cabin. Even though that day had only been six weeks ago it felt like an eternity to Korra. But she acknowledged that it probably only felt that way because she had been separated from Asami for the bulk of that time. Not being around Asami made every day go by ten times slower.

Ba Sing Se University was a located in the upper ring, just a mile or so away from the palace. Its campus was a series of large stone buildings, separated by grassy green patches on which students were studying, chatting, and playing various ball games. As they walked around, Korra took everything in with interest. Since coming to Ba Sing Se she'd been too busy to make it to the university, but she had really wanted to. Going to college had never been an option for Korra; it seemed pointless for the Avatar to earn a degree since her career path was pretty much already decided.

A part of her was a little sad about it. Here in this place of learning, people studied topics that she'd probably never even heard of before. Asami had obviously benefited greatly from her time in college; without it, she would not have been able to perform the scientific lab test that she had prepared here. Plus, there was the draw of the college social life. When Asami had told her that she and her friends used to venture down to the middle ring for the bars, Korra had thought wistfully about what it might have been like if the two of them had met here at the university instead of in Republic City.

But she'd made an agreement with Asami to stop dwelling on what might have been, so she let it go. The fact of the matter was that she was the Avatar. No other path would have been true for her.

They reached the science building and Korra followed the directions that Asami had given her to the lab she had used. "This is it," she said once they found it. The door was open so they walked right in. At the front near a chalkboard was a mousy-looking woman with thick glasses. She was scribbling on a stack of papers. "Hello," Korra greeted her. "My name is Korra and this is my friend Genly. One of your former students prepared a sample here earlier this week and we're here to pick up the results."

The woman stopped what she was doing and stood with a friendly smile. "Of course," she said. "It's nice to meet you, Avatar Korra. I'm Ami Zei. Asami told me to expect you. I have your sample right here. It should be ready by now."

Professor Zei moved over to a cabinet in the corner of the room and opened it. When she saw the little jar Asami had prepared she stopped and stood perfectly still, and Korra knew right away that something was wrong. Moving over to the cabinet, she looked at the little jar of clear solution. "What's up?" she asked.

"What do you mean, what's up?" said Professor Zei.

"I mean what's wrong with the sample?"

"What's wrong with _what_ sample?" Professor Zei picked up the jar and held it up before Korra's eyes. "The sample is _gone_."

"Someone stole this one too?!" asked Korra in alarm.

"I doubt that," the professor replied. As she spoke, she used a dropper and put some of the solution on a clear slide. "No one has come through here. The whole building is under surveillance; I would have known." She secured the slide under a microscope and studied it. "This is amazing," she said after a moment. "The sample definitely dissolved in here, no question about it. There are trace amounts of it in here, but not nearly enough to test for oxygen content."

"What does that mean?" asked Genly.

"Yeah, can you translate for those of us who don't speak geology?" said Korra.

"It means that steel came from _nowhere_. There was not a single grain of unprocessed earth in that steel. It's completely pure."

"Maybe it's just a really high-quality metal," suggested Genly.

"There's no process in the world that could achieve this result. Every metal process leaves traces of earth. Even platinum, which is unbendable due to its high degree of purity, is not this pure. I'm telling you, this metal came from _nowhere_."

Korra stared at Zei in total confusion. "But that's impossible," she said.

"You don't have to tell _me_ that," replied Zei. " _I'm_ the geologist here."

Turning to look at Genly, Korra tried to wrap her head around what she was hearing. Genly appeared confused too, but she could tell that his mind was still with preoccupied by Haku's condition because spirits began to appear around him, landing on his head and shoulders in an attempt to comfort him.

From behind her, she heard Zei give a little squeak of surprise and Korra whirled around to look. Spirits had begun to crowd around the microscope. Another little group of them was congregating around the jar holding the dissolved sample. The spirits sitting on Genly flew from him to the table, joining the rest of the gathering spirits. They all appeared to be checking out the sample, alternating their attention between it and Korra.

"Shoo!" said Zei, waving her hands at the spirits in an attempt to get them away from the microscope. "Get off of there!"

All of a sudden, Korra was transported to the time when she and Asami had tried to locate Xai Bau's Grove on the map when they had been investigating Zaheer. The spirits at that time had sat on the map in an attempt to communicate to them that the Grove was in the spirit world.

Now, the spirits flocked all over the sample, and this time she understood what they were trying to tell her. She sat down on a nearby stool, gripping the edge of the table for balance.

"It's not from nowhere," she said. "It's from the spirit world."

"What?" said Genly. "What are you talking about? How can you know that?"

"That's what the spirits are trying to tell us. That's why they're here. That steel came from the spirit world." The more Korra thought about it, the more lightheaded she got. "All those SUMs out there, they're _all_ made from spirit world metal. How could this happen? How could I have _let_ this happen? There are thousands of those cars out there!" She was beginning to work herself up in to a frenzy. "The Regents, Gan-Lan, they're building _cars_ out of _spirit world material_!"

Genly sat down beside her. "You're right. You've got to be right. That must be the reason why only you can bend that metal," he said.

Korra was already three steps ahead of him, her brain working at top speed. She had already pieced together so much of the mystery. Regent had written his son a letter about going somewhere, and she was certain he meant the South Pole. Most likely, Ron Regent was down there using the spirit portal to mine spirit ore and bring it back to the material world. She knew it must be the South Pole because the South Pole portal was less likely to be visited due to its harsh surroundings. However, the SUMs, with their huge tires and engines, were perfectly suited for driving in rough terrains. They probably used their own cars to get from the portal to wherever they were shipping from. Then from there they shipped the metal to Gethen, where it was sent to Sen Inc's factory without anyone ever knowing they were doing it, thanks to Jon Regent's law.

The metal seemed unbendable to everyone else, but Korra was part spirit herself. She could feel earth in the metal because part of her own essence originated in the spirit world. But Haku was only human… until he fused with a spirit.

"Haku knows," she said out loud. "He knows, and he's going to ask Asami for help." Standing abruptly, she left the lab at a fast clip, Genly just a step behind her.

They emerged out of the building in to the campus. The sun was beginning to set but there were still students everywhere. For this reason, and because she was distracted, she did not see Jon Regent's attack coming. One moment she was striding along the campus, the next she was flying along through the air, knocked sideways by a chunk of earth.

She recovered in midair and used airbending to regain control of her motions, changing her direction on a dime; she was now headed directly towards Jon Regent. But he was ready for her, and he kicked up a wall of earth in front of himself. Effortlessly, Korra blasted through it and grabbed Jon by the collar of his shirt.

"Did you think I would let you get away with this?" she said, panting with rage. "Do you even understand who I am?"

"Yeah, you're a pushover little rug-muncher who can't even keep _this_ world in balance, let alone _two_ ," he jeered. He punched upwards, forcing Korra to back off in order to avoid his fist. "You're powerless, Avatar. Your time on this earth has ended. Things have changed too much and now the world is _ours_."

At that moment, Genly entered the fight. He brought earth up under Jon Regent's feet, trusting that Korra would back up in time to avoid it, which she did. Jon was sent flying high up in the air, and Korra jumped up to meet him. Her eyes flashed with the whiteness of the Avatar state as she put her hands together and slammed him down on to the ground as hard as she possibly could, bending a wall of air to add power to the strike.

When she landed next to him she thought the fight was over, but then Jon rose and began launching boulders at her. As she punched them in to dust, Genly threw his own boulders and sent him flying again.

To both of their amazement, Jon got up and attacked again. Together, she and Genly forced him backwards in to one of the stone buildings and a rock column collapsed on him. Students were fleeing in every direction as they tried to avoid being caught in the crossfire, and Korra realized that if Jon continued to get up, they would have to take the fight somewhere safer. But she really doubted that he was going to get up again.

And then, he did. "Stay down," she yelled at him. "This is over. Why are you still fighting us?"

Jon Regent didn't answer, he just attacked again. He was moving so slowly and was covered in so many wounds that she almost felt bad beating up on him. Almost. It was relieving her anger, though, to have someone to knock around. In fact, she could probably do this all night.

Except suddenly she realized she had more important things to be doing. Now she understood Jon's ploy. She turned to Genly and said: "He's stalling us! We have to go now!"

"You sure are stupid," yelled Jon as they ran away. Then he burst in to a racking laughter that led to a rattling cough.

"What is he trying to keep us from?" asked Genly as they ran.

"I have no idea, but it can't be good."

They returned to the Earth Palace and Korra practically flew down the hall to her room, Genly hot on her heels. When they got there, she had another thought and she continued on to Mako's room and pounded on his door. "Mako!" she yelled. "Mako!"

Mako opened the door. "Korra? What's going on?"

"It's spirit metal!" she exclaimed. "The SUMs are made out of metal from the spirit world!"

Reaching to the rack next to his door, Mako grabbed his jacket and put it on. "What's the plan?" he said. He was ready for action.

"I need to call Asami, but we're going back to Republic City right now."

"I'll call for an airship while you call Asami," he said.

They went to their separate rooms. Genly followed Korra in to her room and paced back and forth as Korra threw herself in to the desk chair and picked up the phone.


	24. The Protectors

In retrospect, thought Asami, the airship ride to Ba Sing Se had been significantly nicer than the one back to Republic City. The way there had only felt long and torturous because she was so excited to see Korra that time seemed to be moving in slow motion. But now she was going home, and once she was home she had another month without Korra to look forward to. She tried not to dwell on it, instead playing back-to-back rounds of Pai Sho with Bolin, Pema, and Jinora, who all took turns getting their butts kicked by her.

"Seriously you guys," she said as she defeated Jinora for the fourth time, "why don't you just play each other? I don't have to play."

"Oh no you don't," said Bolin. "You're not getting off that easy. You're going to keep playing until one of us beats you. Those are the rules."

Finally Asami decided she needed a break, so she threw a game to Pema. Pema seemed to know that she had been handed a win, but she didn't comment. "I'm going to go take a nap," said Asami. "See you guys later." She went and found an empty cabin and lay down on her back, staring up at the ceiling of the airship.

Long distance relationships were hard, she reflected. She'd never imagined that she might one day be in one. Some of her college friends had been in long distance relationships, and Asami had always thought that it was silly. Why be with someone you couldn't even actually _be_ with?

Now she realized how naïve she had been. The problem with a long distance relationship wasn't the relationship, it was the distance. Asami could endure anything as long as it meant she could be with Korra. Since their first kiss in the spirit world, there had never been any question as to whether or not Korra was worth it. It didn't matter what happened with the rest of the world; from that moment, that very first kiss, they had become bonded. After that day she never once wondered if they were taking things too fast or too slow. They were taking things at the pace that felt right to them, and that's all that mattered.

During her visit she and Korra had spoken several times about what things would be like once they were together again in Republic City. Korra assured her that she wouldn't mind if Asami had to give up her upper-class lifestyle and cut back to a small apartment in the city, and Asami believed her. Now, her fantasies about living with Korra hardly ever included the huge, opulent mansion that she had grown up in. Instead, she imagined the two of them living in a high rise somewhere, preferably with a spectacular view of the spirit portal.

For a long while she lay there picturing mundane things the two of them might do together. Grocery shopping, listening to the radio, Korra napping on the couch while Asami worked on the floor nearby, comforting Korra when she was sick or sad, going together to Air Temple Island to see Tenzin's family, going to the South Pole to visit Korra's parents. All of these mental images were exciting to Asami. As she visualized them, she remembered the feeling of Raava shining through in to her own spirit, and it was as if she could feel that lightness within her all over again. It was Korra's gift to her, and she treasured the feeling there in the airship, letting it suffuse her as she drifted off in to a peaceful doze.

She awoke refreshed and energetic. Glancing at her watch, she guessed they were probably just about to land in Republic City, so she rejoined everyone else in the main seating area of the airship. As she sat next to Bolin, the airship began its descent.

When she stepped off the gangway on to the tarmac, she was surprised to see Lin Beifong standing nearby, leaning against her police cruiser with her arms crossed. It was pretty obvious that she was there to speak with them, so Asami and Bolin approached her. "Hello, Chief," said Asami.

"Welcome home, you two. I'd ask how your trip went, but you have other things to worry about right now, Miss Sato," said Lin.

Of course, thought Asami. It just wouldn't be Republic City without some problem or other. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Get in, I'll explain on the way."

"Me too?" asked Bolin, pointing to himself.

"Sure, Bolin. You too."

The three of them got in to the cruiser, Bolin in the back seat and the two women up front. "As I'm sure you are aware, Haku Ai went to the spirit world five days ago," began Lin as she pulled out of the airfield.

"Yeah," piped up Bolin from the back. "Opal was going to meet him here before he left."

"Which she did," said Lin. "Haku told us he would be back on the morning of the sixth day, which was this morning, but he didn't return on time. However, he has returned now."

"What happened?" inquired Asami.

"We don't know. He came out of the spirit portal looking like he'd been beaten up and starved for days. He could barely speak, let alone walk. The only thing he did before he passed out was to ask for you, Asami."

Asami sat in stunned silence. "Why?"

"I just told you, I have no idea. But I'm taking you to the hospital so you can ask him yourself. He has not regained consciousness, but the healers think he will soon."

Lin pulled up in front of the hospital and the three of them got out. She led Asami and Bolin up to the third floor, where a healer was standing there talking to Opal. "Opal!" exclaimed Bolin, and he wrapped her in a huge embrace. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too," replied Opal, giving him a kiss. Asami couldn't help but watch them jealously, wishing that Korra were there.

"We were just giving your niece here an update," said the healer.

"What's Haku's condition?" asked Asami.

"Mr. Ai has been through a traumatic ordeal, and we believe that he will never completely recover. While we have every faith that he will soon awake and be perfectly functional, the physical changes are, unfortunately, irreversible."

"Physical changes?" said Bolin.

"You didn't tell them?" said Opal accusingly to her aunt.

Lin looked away, ashamed. "I wasn't sure what to say."

Sighing, Opal told Asami and Bolin: "Haku's appearance has drastically changed. He looks like he's become sort of fox-like."

Bolin was confused and immediately asked how such a thing was possible, but Asami had a feeling that she knew why. "He fused with a spirit," she said, and they all looked at her. "When Korra saw the story of the first Avatar, she said that the spirits could fuse with humans for a short time. But after a while it would become too much for the human. It isn't a very pleasant thing, from what Korra said."

"That would explain Mr. Ai's spiritual exhaustion," said the healer. "We have completely restored his physical health, and yet he remains unconscious. We believe it is because his spirit is injured and needs time to restore itself."

"Can we see him?" asked Asami, indicating herself and Bolin.

"Yes, you may," said the healer.

The two of them entered in to the quiet room where Haku lay asleep on a bed. They could see immediately the changes that Opal had told them about. His hair and new ears were powder blue, and as they moved closer, Asami could tell that even his facial hair and the hair on his arms were blue. Quietly, she moved a chair next to the bed and sat down next to him, reaching out to take his hand. As she did, she noticed that his fingernails had taken on a sharp, claw-like quality.

As soon as she touched him, she felt him stir. He turned his head towards her and blinked open pale, yellow eyes. "Thank goodness," he said, and Asami could hear real relief in his voice. "I am so glad to see you, Miss Sato."

"Hello, Haku," she said. "How do you feel?"

"Foxy," replied Haku dully. "But now is not the time to discuss my feelings. The spirit world is in great danger."

Outside the room, Opal and Lin looked at one another from where they had been leaning against the doorway. They both entered the room, and Lin shut the door behind them. "What is it, Haku?" asked Asami.

Haku took a moment to collect his thoughts, running his tongue over his new, sharp canines. "On my second day in the spirit world, I met General Iroh. He told me that something was bad was happening in the spirit world, so I went to go find out what it was. I was led by a blue fox spirit to the place where the Tree of Time grows between the two spirit portals." He swallowed hard, remembering the cold, desolate wind blowing across the place. "There were humans there," he continued. "Many humans, and many machines. They are mining there, in that sacred place. Their machines are ripping up the ground for the unbendable stone underneath it, with no regard or reverence for the spirits."

The only sound in the room was Opal's gasp of horror. Asami squeezed Haku's hand, urging him silently to continue.

"The humans captured me. The top soil there is bendable; they trapped me in earth and knocked me out. When I awoke I was bound in an unbendable metal prison in unbendable metal chains. And then Ron Regent appeared. He told me that in less than a day's time, they are going to rip up the Tree of Time to reach the metal underneath it."

In the silence that followed, spirits began to appear in the room, gathering on the hospital bed around Haku, and many of them came to sit with Asami, crawling on to her shoulders and in to her lap.

"How did you escape?" asked Lin finally, breaking the heavy silence.

"The blue fox spirit entered my own spirit, and then I was able to bend the metal. Humans cannot bend that metal because there is no material world earth in it, but for the spirits, the spirit world is their home."

Asami nodded in understanding. "Korra is part spirit," she said.

"Yes," agreed Haku. "Once the fox had allowed me to escape it left me, but as you can see, I will always bear its mark. Miss Sato," he said with renewed energy, "you must go to the spirit world immediately. You must save that tree. If it is destroyed, the two worlds may never be in balance again."

Getting to her feet, Asami assured him: "Don't worry about anything, Haku. I'll take care of this."

She turned and left the hospital room with Lin, Bolin, Opal, and all the spirits following her closely. As they left, Haku smiled and once again closed his pale yellow eyes.

He wasn't worried any more. Asami Sato would keep the spirit world in balance, just as she kept Republic City in balance. The spirit world was in good hands.

Asami strode through the hospital with such purpose that everyone in the hallway stepped aside for her and the parade of humans and spirits following her. As she walked, she turned everything she had just learned over in her mind. It seemed clear to her that she would have to enter the spirit world as soon as possible; there was no way to tell how soon Ron Regent was planning to dig up the Tree of Time.

Along with the realization that time was running short came the knowledge that this was a fight she would have to take on without Korra by her side. No matter how much she wished that Korra could be there with her, the fact of the matter was that it was a ten hour trip by airship to Ba Sing Se, and she simply couldn't afford to wait that long. The only thing she could do was call Korra and tell her what Haku had learned, then go in to the spirit world and finish this herself.

For one crazy moment, she considered not telling Korra what she was planning to do. It seemed cruel to tell her that she was about to throw herself in to an insanely dangerous situation and there was absolutely nothing Korra could do to help or stop her. But almost as soon as she had the thought, she dismissed it. If their positions were reversed, she would definitely want to know if Korra was about to do something like what she was about do.

And she could imagine the sick feelings of worry and fear that would be running through her if Korra were to call her one day and say she was about to put herself in mortal danger. She knew in the pit of her stomach that she was about to have the hardest conversation of her entire life.

Outside the hospital, Asami looked up at the spirit portal and steeled her resolve. Turning to the others, she said: "I need to go home and make a call, but then I'm going to the spirit world to stop Regent from destroying that tree."

"I'll go with you," said Lin immediately. She'd made a promise to Korra to protect Asami, and Lin Beifong kept her promises.

"Me too," said Bolin.

"Me three," said Opal.

Asami smiled at them. "Thank you."

They got in to Lin's police cruiser and headed to Asami's mansion. "You guys wait down here," she told her companions. "I'll be right back." While she was headed up the steps towards her room, her phone started ringing. "Sato residence," she said when she picked up.

"Asami, the SUMs are made out of spirit metal," said Korra abruptly.

"I know," replied Asami. "How did you find out?"

"Your lab test; the sample completely dissolved and the spirits sat all over it like they did that one day with the map. I'm coming back to Republic City. Mako is calling an airship as we speak."

"Korra," said Asami sadly, "I have to go in to the spirit world right now."

"What? I just said I'm coming back. I'll go with you once I get there."

"There isn't time to wait for you. Haku said that Ron Regent is planning to cut down the Tree of Time. I have to go there and stop him."

For a long moment, there was silence. "No," said Korra finally. "You can't go in there alone, it's too dangerous. What if you meet resistance? We've already seen how far Regent is willing to go to make money. He wouldn't hesitate to kill you over something like this. You have to wait for me. I need to be there to protect you!"

"I won't be alone. Beifong, Bolin and Opal are going to go with me. If there's fighting I'll have plenty of backup."

" _Please_ , Asami. Please wait for me," begged Korra, and Asami could hear that she was crying. "Please don't do this!"

"I'm sorry, Korra. You know this is how it has to be. I can't stand around here waiting while Regent cuts down that tree."

"Please," said Korra again. "What if you get hurt, or worse? Please, I need to be there with you."

"Listen to me. The Avatar is not the only one who is responsible for balance. Ever since Harmonic Convergence, I've been maintaining balance in Republic City every day. Everything that's happened in the last three years has been leading me to this moment. _Everything._ The vines, our vacation, the reconstruction here in Republic City, the spirits who love me, and _you_. Being with you has shown me more about balance and the spirits than I ever thought possible. I can do this, Korra. You have to trust me."

"I do trust you," said Korra. "But…"

Asami interrupted her: "I know you're worried because you don't want me to get hurt, but I think you know deep down that this is what has to happen. Is it really worth risking the Tree of Time just so that you can be here to protect me? You are the Avatar. You should know better than anyone else that keeping the world in balance is bigger than you and me. My father died for this cause; I'm willing to do the same."

"You'd better not," said Korra. "You may be willing to die for this, but I'm not willing to lose you. I need you to promise me that if things get rough, you'll get out of there."

After a long moment, Asami said quietly: "I can't make that promise. You know I can't."

At her desk in Ba Sing Se, Korra swallowed her sobs, trying to keep herself under control. She could feel Raava's unrest within her, just as she had been feeling it all day. But in the wake the news about the Tree of Time, she understood now that Raava's stirrings were an indicator of something much bigger happening in the spirit world. The Tree of Time was a source of unparalleled spiritual energy, and its presence was indefinably important for the spirit world. Korra knew deep within her Avatar spirit that without that tree, there would never again be balance in the spirit world. It would never recover from the loss of such a monumental spiritual focal point, no matter what she as the Avatar tried to do to fix it.

She remembered that night here in her room when she had used energybending to establish a link between herself and Asami. Korra thought she had done it out of a desire to feel as close to Asami as possible, but now she realized that Raava's pull had been the driving force behind her actions that night. Raava had been asking Korra to connect with Asami because _she_ had wanted to forge a connection with Asami. By doing so, Raava had ensured the future well-being of the spirit world before either Korra or Asami had even known something was wrong. After feeling what it was like to be bonded to Raava, there was no way Asami would be able to walk away from what was happening to the spirit world. In a way, Raava had created a second Avatar that night; a second protector of balance.

Asami listened to Korra's breathing, first hearing her choking back tears, and then gradually calming. She could guess exactly what was going on in Korra's head because she, too, was remembering that night when Raava had forged a connection with her through Korra. "Korra," said Asami, "you have given me everything that's good in my life. You gave me a family, and friends, and love. But most of all, you showed me what it feels like to carry Raava within you. It's your greatest gift to me. I felt what drives you to fight the way that you do; I still feel it today as strongly as I felt it that night. You're not the only person in the world who understands anymore. Do you see now why I have to go?"

"Yes," whispered Korra. "I see it." There was a pause while Korra sniffled and rubbed her face, wiping away her tears. "But for the record, that doesn't mean I like it one little bit. Once I get on the airship I'm going to meditate in to the spirit world. I won't be able to bend but at least I'll be there with you."

Relieved, Asami said: "Okay. That's a good idea."

"I know," replied Korra with a trace of her usual humor. But then she became serious again as she said: "Asami, I want you to know how much I love you. Even though I hate this plan, I know it's the right thing to do. You're right that everything has been leading to this; aside from me, you're the only person awesome enough to save that tree."

"But you're definitely still coming to Republic City?" asked Asami in a weak voice. It was the only time Korra had ever heard fear in her voice, and it made Korra's heart ache.

"Yes, of course. I'll be there as soon as I possibly can. Stay alert, Asami. Don't take any unnecessary risks."

"I'll be careful. I'll stick with Bolin, Beifong and Opal. I have to go now."

"I love you. I love you more than anything."

"I love you too, Korra. Being with you has made me indescribably happy. You're by far the best thing in my life." There wasn't anything left for her to say except: "Bye, Korra."

"See you soon," said Korra in a determined voice.

And then they hung up.

Korra turned to Genly, who had been listening to Korra's side of the entire conversation. "Ron Regent is going to cut down the Tree of Time today. Asami is taking Lin, Bolin and Opal in to the spirit world to stop them."

"I guess we know now why Jon Regent was trying to stall us," said Genly. "You're still planning to go to Republic City?"

"Yes," answered Korra.

"I will go with you. My brother is there, and I can help with whatever is needed."

"Thank you, Genly."

Mako appeared in her doorway. "The airship should be here any minute," he said.

"Good," said Korra. "The situation just got a lot worse."

As they headed hastily down the Earth Palace hallways, Korra filled Mako in on everything he'd missed. "Those jerks," said Mako angrily once she had finished. "I can't believe how far they're willing to go just for money."

"I can," said Genly grimly. "Therem and I both know better than anyone how little these people care about others. All they see when they look at the world is opportunities they can exploit for their own personal gain."

As they reached the area where the airship would land, Korra assured him: "Well Asami and I won't let them exploit this one any more. We're going to kick them out of the spirit world for good." She looked up and saw a black spec in the distance and knew it was their airship.

"Are you certain about that?" said a new voice. "Because I'm not so sure."

The three of them whirled around to see Lau Gan-Lan, who had just spoken. Also with him was Jon Regent. "Haven't I beaten you up enough for one day?" snarled Korra to Jon.

"Good thing we've got a couple healers working for Sen Inc," replied Jon. "Just a few minutes with them and I'm all ready for round two."

"I know what you guys are up to now. I know you're trying to keep us from stopping your daddy from destroying the Tree of Time. But it won't work. My friends are headed to the spirit world right now and they're going to end this."

"You're sending your little girlfriend in to do the Avatar's job, huh?" taunted Jon. "I knew you were a pushover."

"Yeah, maybe I'm a pushover, but she is not. She'll stop him," said Korra confidently, and she realized suddenly that she truly believed it. The realization gave her hope, and she crouched down, ready for a fight. Behind them, the airship landed on the stone courtyard. "Let's end this fast," she muttered to Mako and Genly. "We don't have time to be messing around with these two." Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw both of them nod in agreement.

Unlike most of the other fights she'd ever been in, Korra went in to the Avatar state immediately. With her body suffused with Raava's energy, she round-house kicked out at Gan-Lan and Regent, spraying intensely hot fire at them. The two of them jumped away, but Gan-Lan was only an old man. He was too slow. He collapsed on the ground, and Korra decided to ignore him for the moment, going after Regent instead.

Mako and Genly were doing the same. Together the three of them lashed out at Regent; Mako punching fire at him, Genly throwing great chunks of rock from the courtyard, and Korra with a combination of all four elements, pulling water out of a nearby fountain. Jon Regent barely had a chance to see the attacks coming, let alone avoid them. He went flying across the courtyard and slammed hard in to the stone steps of the Earth Palace.

Suddenly Genly whirled around, having felt movement through his feet via seismic sensing. "Gan-Lan!" he shouted.

Lau Gan-Lan was holding an explosive that looked as though it was based off of the type of bombs Varrick Industries had designed. He was limping towards the airship with it, intending to blow the thing up to cut off their escape.

Mako launched in to action first. He swept out with his leg and used fire to trip Gan-Lan. As Gan-Lan fell to the ground again, Genly felt another disturbance. "They brought back-up," he said, and pointed in the direction where the palace courtyard led to the streets of the upper ring.

A parade of SUMs was speeding their way. They screeched to a halt and twenty men got out, ready to do battle with the Avatar and her two friends.

"This is not good," Korra said. "What could they possibly hope to gain by fighting us?"

"The world," replied Gan-Lan, who was once again climbing to his feet. "You don't get to make the rules any more, Avatar. When you left those spirit portals open, you gave up that right. We're only claiming what's ours to claim, and now we're going to fight to protect it."

Staring at him in disbelief, Korra could feel her rage bubbling to the surface again and she struggled to keep herself out of the Avatar state. "You're insane. Just because you can enter the spirit world doesn't mean it _belongs_ to you!"

"Korra, you go," interjected Mako. He was trying to remind her that they had other things to worry about. "I'll handle this. Just go!"

"I will help him," agreed Genly. "We will take care of these guys. Get on the airship and go; You are needed elsewhere."

For a moment, Korra thought about saying no. But Raava's spirit was still close to the surface from her use of the Avatar state, and her warmth reminded Korra of Asami. She nodded to her two friends and said: "Be careful." Then she turned and ran on to the airship, which lifted off immediately.

Genly looked at Mako and smiled. "Shall we?"

Mako's returning grin was genuine. "We shall."

Together, they charged in to battle.


	25. Compassion

As soon as Asami returned to her three waiting friends, Lin turned to her and said: "It's just occurred to me that your friend Tom Regent will probably be following us tonight. This may be my opportunity to finally arrest him."

Asami hadn't thought of that. There was so much going on that she hadn't spared a single thought for Tom Regent. "You're right," she said. "When I was in Ba Sing Se he attacked Korra and Mako when he thought they had learned too much. I bet he's already waiting for us somewhere."

Lin bent the bottom off her right shoe and slammed her foot on the ground. "I forgot you have that secret warehouse under your garage," she commented after a moment. "Anyway, there is someone just outside your property, it could be him."

"You can see that far?" asked Bolin jealously. "Aw man, I wish I could see that far."

"Keep working on it. You'll get there," said Lin.

"Let's get going," said Asami. "Regent will probably attack us, and the sooner we leave, the sooner we can draw him out and go to the spirit world."

They got back in Lin's cruiser and drove towards the portal. As they went, they passed several construction sites that Sen Inc had managed to snatch away from Future Industries. Now Asami realized that the Regents were probably hoping to gain a monopoly over property nearest to the portal. It would explain why Sen Inc had been especially keen on getting the contract for the new dock. With that bid they could use the spirit portal in Republic City instead of whichever pole they were working through. She could imagine how much easier it would be for them to get steel out of the spirit world via this portal.

But of course, that would only work if Sen Inc and Cah-Bage corp had the audacity to do so in plain sight. There was no way they would be able to do anything sneaky right smack in the middle of Republic City. Lau Gan-Lan had said that she and Korra should give up their investigation because everything they were doing was legal, and as much as Asami hated to admit it, he was technically correct. There were no laws which legislated against taking material out of the spirit world. In the past, humans had never had access to the spirit world before so there had been no reason to create laws for it. Now, though, anyone in Republic City could be in the spirit world in seconds if they were so inclined, and there were no laws about _that_ either. Even she and Korra had taken advantage of that by going there on a vacation, and Haku had done the same.

The new world order brought on by Korra during both Harmonic Convergence and the battle with Kuvira meant that humans would have to start thinking about how they were going to handle having this whole other world right in their backyard. Lawmakers would have to reach some agreement about what laws to enforce regarding the spirit world, and who had the authority to enforce them.

Until that time, though, the responsibility could only belong to the Avatar. On this particular occasion it would actually fall to Asami because Korra couldn't be there to take care of it, but for the most part it made sense that Korra was the ultimate authority on spirit world relations.

Lin parked the cruiser as close to the crater as she could and the four of them got out and began sliding down its side towards the portal in the center. Despite the falling nighttime around them, the portal's yellow glow illuminated the area in an otherworldly light. Asami was strongly reminded of that night when she and Korra had come here together after Varrick and Zhu Li's wedding. She vividly remembered how Korra had offered her hand and smiled, and how she had smiled back and taken it. That was the moment when she had known beyond all doubt that Korra returned her more-than-friendly feelings. It had been the first step towards the growing intimacy between two of them that led her now to return to the spirit world for such entirely different reasons.

"Here's our man," said Lin suddenly, and the four of them turned to see Tom Regent getting out of his SUM at the top of the crater.

Once he had slid down towards them, Asami said: "Nice to see you again."

"A pleasure as always," replied Tom sarcastically.

Without warning, Lin shot her metal cables out and wrapped them around Tom's ankles. She yanked forcefully and tugged his feet out from under him. As soon as he went down, she approached him and clapped steel handcuffs around his wrists and said, "Tom Regent, you are under arrest."

Asami, Bolin and Opal stared at her in disbelief. The whole thing had happened so fast.

"What? You can't arrest me," protested Tom. "We're allowed to take metal out of the spirit world! My dad and my brother both said so!"

"Maybe so," said Lin, "but you aren't allowed to break and enter, or stalk someone. What did your dad and your brother say about that, huh?"

"They just told me to do whatever it took to keep the Avatar and her girlfriend out of our business because our business is legal."

"You people have a terrible understanding of the law. A crime is a crime, it doesn't matter what the motivation is behind it." She turned to the others and said, "You three wait here while I call in someone to pick this guy up."

"Hold on a second," replied Asami. "Maybe he can be of some use to us."

"Oh, so now you want to hold him hostage? Then I'll have to arrest you, too. Don't any of you know anything about criminal law?"

"No, I don't want to hold him hostage. But Kuvira's supporters were given reduced sentences when they agreed to help with the reconstruction of Republic City. Maybe you could offer Tom a similar deal if he agrees to help us stop his father," said Asami. She was remembering the night in Ba Sing Se when Korra had told her that she had offered Tom Regent a chance to get out of this mess that his family had put him in. If Korra could find it in her heart to feel compassion for this man, maybe Asami could, too.

Irritated, Lin crossed her arms over her chest. "I suppose," she said in a tone of voice that indicated that she wasn't particularly happy about the suggestion.

Asami walked over and crouched down in front of Tom. "Listen, I know we don't like each other very much, but this may be your only chance to redeem yourself. You have to know that what your father and your brother are doing is wrong. Korra believes that you are simply doing what you are told because you don't know any better. This is your chance to think for yourself and make your own decisions about what's right and what's wrong."

Refusing to meet her eye, Tom said: "There's nothing wrong with making money."

"That's true," agreed Asami, guessing that it was another platitude offered to Tom by his brother and his father. "But there _is_ something wrong with what your father and your brother and Lau Gan-Lan are doing. Keeping the world in balance is far more important than making money. Without balance, there wouldn't be a world worth having money for."

She could see that this line of argumentation wasn't getting through to Tom. He was still staring at the ground and frowning angrily. Looking around, Asami tried to think of another way to convince him. Thinking fast, she realized that if she was going to change his mind, it had to be done by giving him reasons he actually cared about. Most likely, Tom had no interest in the world's balance. But, she realized, there was something he had an active interest in.

"Tom," she began, "how much is your family paying you to follow me around here in Republic City?"

"My dad gave me five percent of Sen Inc," he replied proudly, puffing his chest up. "Plus he pays my rent and I got a free SUM."

"Five percent?" repeated Asami.

"Yeah. So what?"

"How much are they selling the SUMs for?" she asked.

"I'm not really sure. I think like one hundred thousand yuans a pop."

It was just as Asami suspected. At last, she felt a pang of sympathy for Tom Regent. She remembered the letter that Ron Regent had written Tom, where he had signed off: " _I'm proud of you._ " She remembered meeting Tom in Avatar Korra Park, when he had told her that the letter had been the first communication between them in years. At the time she'd been skeptical, but now she wondered if it wasn't actually true. Asami didn't pretend to know everything about the Regent family, but something told her that Ron Regent was probably manipulating his own son for his own personal gain. It was just like how her own father had betrayed her, a memory which still stung with fresh hurt over four years later.

"A hundred thousand a pop and they're only giving you five percent of that?" she said. "Doesn't that seem a little low to you?"

"They're counting on me," said Tom. "I'm doing an important job for them."

"If it's so important, then why aren't they paying you accordingly? How much is your brother getting?"

"He gets twenty-five percent of Sen Inc."

"Why is your dad only giving you five percent, then? Jon is a representative for the state of Gethen in the Earth Republic's convention. He's hardly even a part of your father's company. But you're doing a very dangerous job for Sen Inc, aren't you?"

There was a lengthy silence, and she guessed that Tom had no answer for this. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Lin growing more and more impatient until finally she burst out: "Why are we wasting our time with this guy? Clearly this moron will never understand that his own family is treating him like dirt. We might as well book him and go do this thing."

Asami rose out of her crouch and sighed in defeat. "Fine," she said. "Do it."

But as soon as Lin stepped forward to grab Tom by the back of his shirt, he said: "Wait. Stop. I'll help you."

"You will?" asked Bolin in shock.

"But you have to agree to reduce my sentence," Tom said to Lin.

"Whatever," replied Lin. "If you live through this, we'll shorten your sentence. Don't try anything funny, or else I'm taking you down right where you stand." She released his hands and feet from their bindings and roughly yanked him to his feet by his collar. Then she faced him towards the portal and shoved him towards it. "Let's go."

The five of them entered the beam of light.

Once on the other side, Asami immediately spotted Korra pacing nervously back and forth in front of the portal. When she saw Asami, her blue eyes lit up with relief. "Where have you been?" she said, rushing forward towards her. "And what's this loser doing here?" She pointed at Tom Regent.

"Sorry, we got held up. Tom has agreed to help us in return for shortening his sentence," said Asami.

The smile that got from Korra was so sweet and loving that the flowers standing around her began to dance back and forth in happiness, and Asami felt a little embarrassed that Lin and the others were there to see it. Korra's mentality in the spirit world had a way of manifesting itself that made it impossible for her to hide what she was feeling. It couldn't have been more obvious that she was thinking about how much she loved Asami at that moment.

"You gave him a chance?" said Korra.

"Yeah," confirmed Asami. "I figured that if you did, I should too."

"Good. I'm glad." Then she turned her attention to Tom. "But this is a one-time deal," she told him. "I've got my eye on you."

"How are you here, Korra?" Bolin asked her. "Oh, wait, never mind. I get it. You're meditating."

"That's right," she said. "I can't bend the elements without physically being here, but I'm connected to the spiritual energy no matter what. I'm not sure what I'll be able to do to help, but it's better than sitting and waiting in the airship."

"The first thing you can do is show us where to go," suggested Asami. "I've never actually been to the Tree of Time."

"I have," said Bolin. "But… yeah I think you'd better lead us, Korra. I have no idea where it is."

"No problem," said Korra. "I can show you."

She closed her eyes and reached inside; here in the spirit world, she felt closer to Raava than anywhere else. All she had to do was ask for help, and Raava would be there. Concentrating on her presence, she asked Raava to show her the way, and with a friendly glow that was visible to everyone, Raava answered.

Korra turned towards the distant mountains. "It's this way."

As they walked, Asami looked fondly at Korra. "You always look so beautiful when you're in the spirit world," she said quietly so that the others wouldn't hear.

"What? Really?"

"Yes," said Asami. "The spirits and the spirit world are beautiful, and you are part spirit. This is your home just as much as the material world is, and it shows. You belong here."

"I belong with you," countered Korra. "You probably just think I look beautiful because I'm with you."

"You're such a corn-ball."

"Only for you, my darling Awesami." She was sporting a teasing grin as she said this, but it faded away as they continued to walk. "Do you remember when we came here on our vacation?" She gestured at the scenery around them; they were passing near the spot where the raging bear dog spirit had charged them, and, afterwards, where they had shared their first kiss.

Filled with warmth at the memory, Asami said: "Yes, of course I remember."

"Even then, you had a connection to the spirits," said Korra. "You calmed that bear dog spirit down before I even thought to try. And you did it just by touching it. I've been thinking about what you said on the phone. I think you're right that this was the way it was meant to happen. I'm here to help you, but something tells me that this is supposed to be your fight."

"How far is this place, Korra?" piped up Opal from the back.

"It's far," she answered. "But spirits can bend distances here in the spirit world."

"What do you mean?"

"Just keep following me. You'll see what I mean. Actually I've been thinking about that, too," continued Korra, this time loud enough for the whole group to hear. "Haku said he got to the Tree of Time while he was in the spirit world, but it's way too far for him to have walked there and back in only five days, especially since he was probably imprisoned for most of that time. I think the fox spirit must have bent the distance for him. So it's a good thing I decided to meditate in, because otherwise you guys would have to find another spirit guide."

As they walked, the landscape shifted and warped around them, and Bolin let out a yell of surprise. "Did you guys see that?"

"Yes, Bolin, we all saw that," said Lin in a long-suffering tone. After spending so much time teaching Bolin metalbending and seismic sensing, she had grown used to the way it took him an extra second to catch up. Over the last couple of weeks she had even grown quite fond of the kid; he was hardworking and loyal, both qualities she valued highly. But she still exchanged a tiny eye roll with Opal, who undoubtedly was also accustomed to Bolin's more tiresome mannerisms.

"I did that," said Korra. "We're already much closer to the Tree of Time."

Gradually, all shades of color began to melt away from their surroundings, and by the time Korra finally stopped and held up her hand to indicate that everyone else should as well, they were standing in in a rocky, cold and desolate area of the spirit world. Everything around them seemed to be made entirely out of shades of black, grey and brown and there were no signs of spiritual life anywhere. "This is terrible," said Korra morosely. "It didn't used to be this way. I can't believe how much damage has been done here."

Asami tried to put her arm around Korra comfortingly, but her hand went right through her. "I can't touch you," she said.

"No, you can't. I'm not physically here."

"Well, imagine that I'm hugging you. Don't worry, Korra, we are going to make this right."

Smiling sadly at her, Korra said: "I appreciate that, but I'm not sure this can ever be made right."

"But we can keep it from getting worse at least," said Bolin. "Let's go."

They headed towards a huge rocky crag that blocked their view of the landscape below them. As they did so, a familiar-looking bear dog spirit seemed to appear out of nowhere at Asami's side. "Hello again," she said to it. It nuzzled her side and she scratched its ears.

"You two know each other?" Bolin asked skeptically, inching away from the massive spirit.

"This spirit charged at Korra and me while we were here on vacation. But it was all a misunderstanding, right boy?" cooed Asami. "Are you here to help us?"

The spirit huffed and kicked at the dirt, and Korra smiled at it. "Great," she said. "It's good to see you again."

"So the bear dog spirit is here to help us, but where are all the other spirits?" asked Opal. "Don't you think they'd want to protect their own world?"

Reaching out to pat the bear dog spirit, Asami said: "That's a good question. What do you think, Korra?"

But Korra shrugged. "All I know is that I've been feeling Raava's unrest all day, and it's got to be because of what's happening here. But other than that I don't know what all the other spirits are thinking, and we don't have time to try and figure it out. We need to get moving."

So it happened that five humans, the Avatar spirit, and the bear dog spirit circled around the crag to the place where the two portals bordered the Tree of Time, and all of them gasped to see the destruction and activity taking place there.

For a long moment, they were speechless. Finally, Tom Regent said: "I had no idea it would look like this. I thought it was just a regular mine."

"Mining in the material world is done using earthbending," said Asami, swallowing her disgust. "But the metal your father is digging up is spirit metal. It can't be bent by regular humans, so all the work has to be done by machinery. That's why the sky is black with soot."

"I guess I never thought of that before," admitted Tom. "I'm not an earthbender."

"Neither am I," snapped back Asami. "Your problem is that you never think of anything except yourself. If you were to take a moment to look at the world around you, you would see what kind of impact you were having on it." She rounded on him and poked him hard in the chest with the hand encased in her Future Industries glove. "You're doing the right thing by helping us, Regent, but you're doing it for the wrong reasons. Look around at what is happening here and tell me again that making money is more important than maintaining balance. Do you really believe that your family and Gan-Lan are justified in doing this to the spirit world?"

Tom's eyes slid from Asami's to the valley below them, taking in everything he could see. There were humans everywhere, and huge machines that tore mercilessly in to the ground near the tree. The tree itself was the most magnificent thing he had ever seen. It stood there, huge and noble, as if it had always been there. And suddenly he understood: It _had_ always been there. That tree was time itself, beginningless and endless. It had existed before his birth, before his father's birth, before any of his ancestors' births. And it would continue to be there until the end of all things… Unless his father cut it down today.

He bowed his head in shame and respect. "No," he said. "No, they are not justified."

Asami nodded at him, and then looked at the others, her back still facing the valley. "Let's take a minute to make a plan," she said to them.

"Let's not," replied Lin immediately, and she pointed towards one of the spirit portals. "I think we just ran out of minutes."

Turning to look where she was pointing, Asami saw what she meant. Coming through the portal was a massive machine, bigger than any mobile machine she had ever seen before. It had a single long arm ending in a clamp that came out the top of a square body, and in the front of the body was a massive saw. It was the machine Ron Regent would use to cut down the Tree of Time.

"They must have known we were coming," said Korra. "When Haku escaped Regent must have guessed that it was only a matter of time before we knew what he was up to."

"We have to get down there right now. _Go!_ " shouted Asami, and she jumped on to the back of the great bear dog spirit. Korra leapt up effortlessly behind her, and the spirit bounded off down the rocky mountainside towards the valley. On either side of them, everyone else moved as well. Opal extended her gliding suit, Bolin and Lin bent themselves hastily across the rock as easily as if they were ice skating, and Tom blasted himself forward with huge plumes of fire from his hands and feet.

Together, they took off towards the Tree of Time.


	26. Asami's Fight and Raava's Promise

Their approach did not go unnoticed. By the time the tree-cutter was halfway between the portal and the Tree of Time, all the Sen Inc workers had spotted the figures approaching from the rocky cliffs above them and had prepared for an attack. They rushed forward to greet them, lashing out with all types of bending.

Opal reached the tree-cutter first. She landed on top of its body and looked for any weakness to exploit for its destruction. But it was massive and solid, and she knew without question that there was no way she could destroy it alone. The next best thing to do would be to stop its forward progress, so she jumped a safe distance in front of it and blew air at it as hard as she possibly could. It barely even slowed, though, and after several seconds of bending air at it, Opal knew there was no way she could keep it up even if it had been working. She jumped off the ground again and returned to the top of the machine, dodging a whip-like attack from a waterbender nearby. Flattening herself against the tree-cutter's roof, she crawled on her belly until she could drop over the side to see its driver. There were four people inside the cockpit; she should have guessed that a machine that size would need more than one operator. Kuvira's massive battle suit had needed many drivers as well.

Speaking of battle suits, there were several of those attacking her friends along with the benders on foot. Coming to terms with the fact that there wasn't anything she could do to the tree cutter, she decided instead to help break a path through to the machine so that the metalbenders could take care of it. She dropped down to the ground and whirled her arms gracefully, sending a gust of air through the crowd that parted a path through them. This gave Lin and Bolin the opening they needed.

They plowed right through without hesitation, and together they both dropped in to wide stances and struck out at the shining metal of the tree-cutter simultaneously.

It didn't budge a single inch.

"It's made of spirit metal!" shouted Bolin.

"Close," said a voice behind them. They turned to see Ron Regent and a large group of benders. "It's actually just regular old platinum. It's a little more expensive than the free spirit metal we get here, but it does the trick just fine. You see, we were worried that spirit metal might not be able to cut the Tree of Time. Of course that's pure conjecture on our part, but better safe than sorry." He gestured at the cutter. "Do you like our latest Sen Inc/Cah-Bage Corp creation? We built her right under your noses in Republic City. You almost discovered her in our factory one night, remember? Anyway, no time for chit chat now. I've got a tree to cut down. Get rid of them," he ordered his men.

As one, the benders around Ron Regent used rock, air, water and fire to knock Lin, Bolin and Opal away from the machine. Once that had been done, they were driven back even further towards where Korra, Asami and Tom were now arriving at the fight. They gathered together, standing back to back while they regrouped.

"We can't bend it," said Lin to Asami. "If anyone is going to stop that thing, it'll have to be you."

"I can do it," said Asami. "I just need to get close enough."

Lim smiled predatorily. "Now that, I think we can manage."

Again moving in unison, Lin and Bolin heaved on the earth underneath the crowd of Sen Inc benders in front of them, sending twenty or thirty of them flying. "Good thing we spent all that time training together, huh?" commented Bolin conversationally as they pushed forward to do the same thing again. "It really put us in sync!"

"Now is not the time, Bolin."

"Oh right, I forgot. Battle for the spirit world and whatnot."

Opal used her airbending to keep the people that Bolin and Lin had forced back from returning to the fray, forming a protective circle around the group as they inched towards the tree cutter. Tom shot warning glances of fire at people who tried to approach them, the bear dog spirit batted people away left and right, and Asami, from its back, electrocuted anyone who came within arm's reach.

"I wish I could help," groaned Korra. "I hate this."

"I know. But we're doing well so far, at least," replied Asami.

The tree cutter was getting dangerously close to the Tree of Time now. It was beginning to climb the steep incline that led up to the tree's roots. Despite everything, Asami had to admit that it was a clever design. Instead of using wheels, the cutter had two conveyor belts on either side powered by massive steel gears that turned endlessly. This design spread the cutter's weight evenly across the entire belt, which made it more stable and gave it more mobility and momentum. The gears worked together in unison, bringing a kind of harmony to the design.

Seeing it gave Asami an idea. "Everyone," she said, "when we get close enough, focus everything you have on stopping those gears." She pointed to the gears that powered the belt, and her companions nodded.

Once they were at the base of the Tree of Time, Bolin and Lin heaved a massive chunk of earth out of the ground and, grunting with the effort, began lifting it towards the gears. Opal assisted its progress by keeping a pillow of air underneath it, and Tom used fire to try to melt the gears a little. Soon the four of them had the earth wedged in between the gears. They cheered as the machine was forced to grind to a stop.

But with a loud crunching sound, the gears completely crushed the rock, totally obliterating it with its massive power.

"Plan B," said Asami. "Cover me, I'm going up there."

She jumped off the bear dog and rushed up the incline towards the tree cutter, Korra just a step behind her. "I'm going to take out the pilots," she shouted to Korra, who nodded her understanding.

They split up. Korra went around the back of the cutter and poked her head up so she could be seen through the driver's side window of the cockpit. "Hi there!" she said to them, grinning and waving through the glass, and they stared at her.

While they were distracted, Asami jumped up, grabbed on to the top of the machine, swung herself out and used her return momentum to shatter the passenger's side window with her feet. Going with the strike, she kicked one of the pilots in the head, knocking him out immediately. One more swing and she was inside the cockpit, already reaching out to electrocute the driver. The remaining two pilots she dispatched with some artful dodging and economy of movement and within just a few seconds, all four of them were unconscious, slumped over their respective controls.

The cutter was still moving forward, though, its constantly-running saw getting ever closer to the Tree of Time. Korra looked up and to her horror, she saw the arm on top of the machine moving down to grasp the Tree of Time in its clamp. "Why is it still moving?" she said to Asami. "The pilots are out!"

Asami stuck her head out the broken window and saw Ron Regent standing at the outskirts of the fight below them, holding a complicated-looking remote control in his hand. She looked around for the others, hoping to direct one of them in Ron's direction, but the benders working for Sen Inc had intentionally moved the fight far away from where Ron stood. At least fifty henchmen were in between her friends and Regent; none of them would be able to reach him in time.

"Regent is controlling it," said Asami with a sense of grim understanding. "I'm going to have to destroy the whole thing."

"How are you going to do that?" asked Korra.

"With my glove. I'll have to go to the gas tank and shock it." As she spoke, she looked around until she found the lever which would control the lid of the cutter's tank. She popped it open.

"But won't that make it explode?" Korra's voice had taken on a note of urgency and panic. "Asami, won't the whole thing _explode_?"

"Yes, it will explode."

"No. Absolutely not. No, Asami. You have to think of another way!"

"There is no other way, Korra," said Asami, and she looked at Korra with those determined green eyes that Korra loved so much. "We knew this might happen. You know I can't turn away from this. It's _my_ fight."

As she spoke, the claw grasped the tree and the saw made contact with the Tree of Time. Korra felt the contact as if the saw was cutting through her own body, but she couldn't tell who's pain she was feeling; her own, or Raava's. "Don't do this, Asami!" she sobbed. "There's got to be another way!"

"There's no time left. I'm sorry, Korra." Asami tried to reach out to touch Korra's face, but her hand went right through her cheek; her heart ached to think that she'd been robbed of her last chance to feel Korra's soft skin. "Don't ever forget that I love you. Thank you for everything."

She climbed out of the broken window and edged along the side of the machine to the place where the lid to the gas tank was open. With one last look at Korra, she powered up her glove to its maximum setting and clapped it over top of the tank.

The resulting explosion knocked everyone in the vicinity back at least a hundred feet. For a long moment, there was only chaos and noise and light and heat as the machine erupted in to flames.

Once they had recovered, Opal, Bolin and Lin stared in disbelief at the cloud of smoke and dust that obscured the twisted metal wreckage of the tree cutter from view. "What did that?" asked Bolin.

"It had to have been Asami," replied Opal, clapping her hand over her mouth.

"No way. There's no way she was still up there for that, right? She must have gotten out, right?" Bolin jumped up and headed towards the wreckage, but Lin reached out and clasped his shoulder to stop him.

"Bolin," she said. "You know she was still up there."

"No, she wasn't," he replied angrily. He kicked off his shoe and stamped on the ground, sending a shockwave through the area. When he felt no motion near the destroyed cutter, he did it again. Still feeling nothing, he did it over and over until finally, he collapsed on the ground and put his head in his hands. "Did that really just happen? This is a nightmare, right?"

Opal put his arms around him, and he sobbed openly in to her shoulder.

For a moment, Lin tried to wrap her mind around the fact that she had just massively failed Korra. She remembered how flattered she had been when Korra had entrusted Asami's safety on to her, how pleased despite herself she had been to be included in Team Avatar. As much as she didn't like to admit it, she really cared about Korra and her friends. And now, she had been unable to protect the one person that Korra truly wanted her to protect. In fact, she had been failing Korra for weeks now by never managing to apprehend Tom Regent.

But there wasn't time to dwell on it. For now, she had a whole heck of a lot of criminals to arrest.

Springing in to action before almost any of the Sen Inc workers had recovered, Lin began shooting metal wires in every direction, wrapping them around the wrists and ankles of anyone she could reach. As she did so, tears leaked down her face, and she wiped them away with annoyance. She had been hoping that catching some bad guys would help her feel better, but this time, it didn't seem to be working. "You are all under arrest," she yelled in to the silence. "Every last one of you."

"Look!" said Opal suddenly, pointing up towards the cutter.

The dust and smoke was parting to reveal a blue light in the middle. As it got closer they could tell that it was Korra in the Avatar state. Floating in front of her, enveloped in blue light, was Asami.

As Korra walked a few steps away from the wreckage, she returned to her normal state; Raava sank down to lie just below the surface. She knelt and gently placed the unconscious Asami on the ground before kneeling next to her.

Lin, Bolin and Opal scrambled up the slope and joined Korra around Asami's prone form. "Oh thank goodness," said Lin. "Is she alright?"

"I don't know," admitted Korra. She was beyond tears, beyond worry, beyond sadness. She was broken. All she could do was stare at Asami's face, thinking that she always looked so peaceful and beautiful when she was sleeping. She thought of what it was like when Asami woke in the morning, blinking open her green eyes, turning to Korra and smiling, and she wished with everything in her that Asami would do so now.

Then, Raava spoke to her in a soothing voice. _Bring her to the tree_ , she said.

"Why?" asked Korra, and her friends all looked at her. They couldn't hear Raava, but Korra had spoken aloud.

_Trust me, Korra. I would not do her harm._

Nodding, Korra stood and briefly entered the Avatar state again, storing energy for the task she was about to do. Then she bent the spiritual energy around her to lift Asami and carry her to the tree, just as she had done to protect Asami from the explosion. Carefully, she walked with her to the Tree of Time, entering its trunk and setting her down in the center.

_This human has done a great service for the spirit world this day. She is the chosen of my chosen. I will protect her and love her for as long as you do._

As Korra sat next to Asami, the Tree of Time lit up with images from the lives of past Avatars. She saw Aang awaken from his sleep in the iceberg to find a young, beautiful Katara filling his vision. She saw Roku with his wife, Ta Min, and their long flirtation leading to an even longer marriage. She saw Kyoshi with a man whose name had been lost to history, but whose nobility and honesty remained eternally within Raava's memory. Korra saw Kuruk with his fiancée Ummi, and felt his sorrow and heartbreak when she was stolen from him by Koh the Face Stealer. It was on this image that Raava seemed to dwell.

_Throughout all of your lifetimes, I have watched as my human companion found their human companion. I know the strength and power that love can bring, and I know the defeat and hopelessness of its loss. Never again will I allow my chosen to feel that pain if I can avoid it. This girl was here because I sent her here. If she dies, it is my doing. I will not do that to you, Korra._

With images of lifetimes of love dancing in the inside of the Tree of Time, spirits began to come over the threshold of the trunk and gather around Asami. Korra recognized many of them as the spirits that had appeared in the stone courtyard of the Earth Palace when they had finally been reunited after their month of separation, the same spirits that had been Asami's companions in Republic City.

The spirits put their glowing hands on Asami, and then their glow intensified. Inside her, Korra felt Raava's answering glow, and she reached out to place one hand over Asami's forehead and another over her heart. Even without actually touching her she could feel Asami's spirit, and she closed her eyes and reached out to it with her own. This time, it seemed as though the spiritual energy that she recognized as being Asami's was dim and unmoving; it was barely there, and feeling its weakness scared Korra more deeply than anything else that had happened thus far.

But she felt Raava's pull again, and she let Raava's light infuse Asami's spirit, joining the efforts of the other spirits around them. Together they rebuilt Asami's energy, rousing it little by little until it was back to its full strength.

Finally, after a very long time, Korra felt Raava recede back to her own spirit, and she came down out of the Avatar state with a deep, peaceful sigh. She opened her eyes and looked down at the still-unconscious Asami, her dark hair splayed all over the ancient wood of the Tree of Time.

As she watched, Asami blinked her eyes open slowly and smiled up at Korra, who smiled back, tears filling her eyes.

"There she is," whispered Korra, the words catching in her throat. "There's my girl."

"Here I am," replied Asami softly. "I felt you. I felt Raava. She saved me."

"Yes, she did," said Korra.

"Thank you."

"She says you're welcome," Korra told her, still smiling. "I wish I could kiss you."

"I wish that, too. What happened?"

Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, Korra said: "When the machine exploded I tried to put you in a protective spirit bubble, but I've never tried to do anything like that before. The explosion was just too powerful." She swallowed hard, remembering the all-consuming fear and desperation of that moment when she had tried protect the woman she loved from certain death. "But then Raava told me to bring you here, and all these guys showed up to help us heal you."

Asami looked around at all the spirits, who crowded closer to hug her. "Thank you, my friends. From the bottom of my heart, thank you," she said, and they bounced around her happily. Returning her attention to Korra, she asked, "How long was I out?"

"I don't actually know. It felt like we were healing you for a long time."

"Is there still an army of benders outside?"

"I don't know," said Korra again. "It looked like Lin was arresting a lot of them."

"Oh, good." With a grimace, Asami sat up.

Korra moved forward to help her, remembering belatedly that she couldn't actually touch her. "Are you in a lot of pain?"

"I blew up a huge tree cutting machine and survived the explosion. So, yeah, I'm in a little bit of pain."

"I'm sorry," said Korra sadly. "I tried to protect you as best as I could."

"You did protect me, Korra. I'm still here, aren't I?"

"Yes." Korra's voice was filled with gratitude and love. "You're still here."

Korra stayed close to Asami as she got to her feet, visibly unsteady and hurt. They climbed out of the tree and Asami took a moment to lean against its bark as they looked out at the spirit world.

Many people were sitting on the ground with bits of metal tied around their hands and wrists. Lin was walking around them with her arms crossed, looking like she had never been more frustrated, angry, and worried all at once. Bolin and Opal were sitting together near the bottom of the tree's roots, and they shouted when they noticed Korra and Asami standing there. "Asami!" yelled Bolin as he charged up the hill towards them. For a moment Korra thought he was going to throw his arms around Asami, but he pulled up at the last second. "Are you okay? Can I hug you? Or are you covered in ouchies?"

"Yes, yes, and yes," laughed Asami. She opened her arms and Bolin hugged her gingerly. Opal stepped forward to do the same.

"Are you really alright?" she asked.

"I'm mostly fine, thanks to Korra," said Asami. "She protected me from the explosion."

"Not well enough," muttered Korra. "You're still all banged up."

"It's nothing the healers can't fix in Republic City." Asami looked back at the Tree of Time. "I can't believe the tree wasn't harmed by the explosion."

Everyone else looked at it too. Aside from the gash that the cutter's saw had made, it looked just the same as it ever had. "It might be because Regent made the cutter out of platinum instead of spirit metal," said Bolin. "If there's one thing Varrick taught us, it's that spirit-y stuff explodes really, _really_ well. Like, way too well."

"You might be right," said Asami. "Something this ancient probably isn't vulnerable to very many things." She cast her gaze around at everyone in area. "Where's Tom?"

"He saw his father running away so he took the bear dog spirit and went after him," said Bolin.

"We didn't go with him because we were too worried about you, and Tom said he had it under control. I know we can't exactly trust him, but we just couldn't bring ourselves to go after him." Opal pointed off in the direction where Ron Regent had run off. "They went that way."

"They couldn't have gotten far without a spirit guide," said Korra. "I'll take Beifong and go after them."

She went down to where Lin was pacing around the captured Sen Inc employees. When Korra approached her, Lin couldn't quite bring herself to meet Korra's eyes. "How is she?" she asked.

"She'll be fine," Korra replied.

"I'm sorry I didn't protect her."

"That agreement only counts when I'm not around to do it. Anything that happened to Asami today was my fault."

"That's not how this kind of thing works," argued Lin. "You asked me to protect her, and I failed. Next time I'll do a better job of it."

"Fair enough," said Korra affectionately. "Listen, we should go after Ron and Tom. The others can keep an eye on these guys." She indicated the people on the ground.

"Alright," agreed Lin. "I'm looking forward to getting that monster in handcuffs. Let's do it."

As they passed the rest of the group, Korra waved at them and said: "We'll be right back."

She led Lin through the spirit world, bending the distance until they came across Ron and Tom Regent. Tom had his father cornered on a cliff overlooking the two spirit portals and was clenching his flame-engulfed fists.

"I can't believe you're helping the Avatar," spat Ron to his son.

"And I can't believe you were going to cut down that tree. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to stop you. How could you do such a thing, Dad?"

"I did all this to provide for my two sons. Or, as the case may now be, my _one_ son. You've always been such a disappointment to me, Tom. You're stupid and lazy. You aren't even a particularly good firebender. Why couldn't you have been more like your brother?"

Korra could tell that this wounded Tom deeply, but he steeled his resolve and said: "You're the disappointment. You were willing to throw everything out of balance just to make some money. It's disgusting."

"That's not what you said when we started this," Ron reminded him. "You said you would help. Now look at you. You're a traitor!"

"I didn't know you would take it this far. I know that what you did is technically legal, but that doesn't make it right."

"Enough talk," cut in Korra. "We don't have all night."

"You're under arrest, Ron Regent," said Lin. "This is over."

"You think so?" Ron reached in to his jacket and pulled out what looked like a shiny metal tube. He pointed it at Lin and before anyone knew what was happening, there was a deafening pop and Lin suddenly collapsed on the ground. Korra let out a yell of shock and knelt down next to her. She wasn't moving at all.

"What did you do to her?" she shouted at Ron.

Giving her a snide smile, Ron said: "This is Cah-Bage Corp's latest invention. They call it a pistol. It's pretty nifty; it works kind of like a combination of firebending and earthbending. You see, a little explosion sends a bit of metal flying at a ridiculously high speed. No one could be fast enough to stop it; not even _her_ mother." He jerked his head at Lin. "Future Industries isn't the only company that can design weapons, except this one is superior to your girlfriend's glove because I can use this from all the way back here."

Just then, Lin groaned and stirred. Korra gave an audible sigh of relief.

"Oh, I guess her metal armor stopped the bullet. I thought that might be a problem. No matter, I can just do it again." Ron pointed the pistol at Lin again.

But then, two things happened at once. The first was that Tom jumped forward and kicked the pistol out of his father's hand. The second was that the bear dog spirit bounded out from behind a rock and cuffed Ron Regent over the head, sending him flying into the rocky cliff-side with such force that he left a dent in the rock and slid to the ground, unconscious.

"Thanks, buddy," said Korra to the bear dog spirit, who wagged its tail and panted happily at the praise. Returning her attention to Lin, Korra watched as she sat up slowly, sweat breaking out over her forehead. "How do you feel?"

"Like I got kicked in the chest by a zebra horse," she answered through gritted teeth. "What the heck was that thing?"

"He called it a pistol. Can you walk?"

"I don't think I can even stand, let alone walk. It feels like I cracked a couple of ribs." She began trying to get to her feet, and Tom rushed to her side.

"Let me help," he said.

Lin raised an eyebrow at him but made no comment.

Eventually they managed to get the unconscious Ron Regent on to the bear dog spirit's back, and Tom help Lin climb up behind him. She was obviously in excruciating pain, and she kept one arm against her stomach as Korra led them back.

Bolin, Opal, and Asami went to them as soon as they returned. "What happened?" asked Bolin, concerned about his mentor.

"I'll explain on the way," said Korra. "We need to head back and get Asami and Lin some medical attention."

They put Asami on the bear dog spirit behind Lin; the spirit seemed to have increased its size to accommodate its three riders comfortably. Bolin unbent the metal on the ankles of the Sen Inc employees and instead used it to chain them all himself. Korra was certain that they could have escaped if they wanted to, but there wasn't anything she could do about it.

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind did spirits begin to appear all around them, and she knew they were intending to help keep the captives in line. Seeing the spirits made her suspect that they had been close by the entire time. Something told her that they had left the battle for the Tree of Time in Asami's hands for a reason. They, too, seemed to understand that there had been a change in their world, and that they must now begin to form a relationship with humanity based on trust and partnership.

Nodding at them, she said to the prisoners: "If any of you try to escape, my friends here will stop you, and you know how the spirits are. I can't guarantee your safety if they catch you." This she said with a wink at the bear dog spirit.

It worked perfectly, and in no time Korra had led the whole group of them to the Republic City portal. As the captured men began to go through the portal, Bolin, Opal and Tom worked together to get the unconscious Ron and the injured Lin off the massive bear dog and out of the spirit world. With that done, Asami got off the spirit herself and gave it an affectionate hug. "Thank you," she said to it, and it licked her face before turning and ambling off in to a nearby forest.

"Lucky spirit," grumbled Korra. "How come that spirit gets to kiss you but I don't?"

Asami laughed. "Be patient," she said. "Your time will come."

Gesturing towards the portal, Korra said: "Well, get going. I'll meet you in the hospital as soon as I get there."

"Okay." Asami paused for a moment to take in one last look at Korra, as if she was saving up on her until she could see her again. On the tree cutter she had thought for sure that it had been the end for her, and though she'd been heartbroken that they couldn't touch each other, she had been glad that she could at least look at her. Never again would she miss a single opportunity to appreciate how fortunate she was to have Korra in her life. From this moment on, she would take every available opportunity to look at or touch Korra. As she took a second to honor that promise to herself by staring at Korra, she reflected once again that her lover looked especially beautiful here in the spirit world. "I love you, Korra," she said.

"I love you too." Korra smiled and waved. "See you in a couple of hours."

She watched as Asami left the spirit world, and then she closed her eyes and returned her spirit to her body. When she next opened her eyes she was alone, sitting cross-legged in a cabin on the airship.

For the next two hours, she sat with her head in her hands and sobbed, trying to shake off the memory of Asami climbing over to that gas tank and blowing up the cutter, and the feeling of Asami's fading spirit against her own.

She couldn't believe she had spent three years reliving her encounters with Amon, Unalaq and especially Zaheer, being ruled by the fear of injury that had haunted her every waking moment. Now, she realized how childish those fears had been.

Because nothing that had ever been done to her had filled her with as much terror as this night, the night when she had come so close to losing Asami forever.


	27. New World Order

In the wee pre-dawn hours of the morning, the airship containing the Avatar landed at the airfield in Republic City. Korra stepped out of it and was pleased to see Bolin and Opal there waiting for her with Opal's air bison Juicy. She headed down the gangway and was immediately enveloped in Bolin's massive arms. Her feet left the pavement as he lifted her up and squeezed her.

"It's over!" he said happily. "One more fight is over!"

"Yeah, I guess it is," said Korra, laughing at his exuberance.

Bolin set her back on her feet and looked up at the airship. "This is it?" he said in confusion. "It's just you? Why didn't you bring Mako or Genly with you?"

"I wanted to," said Korra hesitantly, "but we were attacked by Jon Regent, Lau Gan-Lan and about twenty of their flunkies on our way out to the airship. They told me to go on without them, so I did. I don't know what happened to them after that."

"Let's get back to the hospital," urged Opal when she saw a look of worry cross Bolin's face. "We can call them from one of the phones there."

The others agreed, and within seconds they were airborne on Juicy's back. "How's everyone doing?" asked Korra.

"The healers are optimistic," replied Opal. "Asami was sleeping when we left to come here; the healers say she'll probably only need two or three healing sessions before she's back to one hundred percent. Aunt Lin's injuries are a little more serious, but they aren't spiritual in nature like Haku's, so she should be alright in two weeks or so. But they're still saying Haku is a hopeless case. They're certain they won't be able to reverse the physical changes. Tom Regent is in custody; he turned himself in as soon as we got back from the spirit world."

"What about Ron Regent?" said Korra, and Bolin raised an eyebrow at her. "He may be a supervillain but that doesn't mean I want him to die."

"Well, don't worry. He'll make a full recovery and be healthy enough to spend the rest of his life in prison," quipped Bolin sarcastically.

It took a lot of willpower for Korra to go with Bolin and Opal to the public phones instead of heading right to Asami's room, but she knew that Asami would want her to check on Mako and Genly before going to her. Besides, she reasoned, Asami was probably still sleeping. Picking up the phone, Korra dialed the number for Mako's room in the Earth Palace.

It was picked up on the first ring by a voice that said: "Korra?"

"Wow," replied Korra. "How did you know it was me?"

"I didn't," said Mako with a chuckle. "Just wishful thinking. What happened? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine here. Asami and Beifong both have some injuries, but they should make full recoveries."

"And the Tree of Time?"

"It's still there, thanks to Asami. Your turn. Are you alright? Is Genly?"

"We're both okay. We were fighting all those guys and then Therem and a bunch of other earthbending representatives showed up to help. Even Wu came out with some badger moles. I wish you could have seen it, although you should feel glad you weren't there to _hear_ it. Apparently the badger moles respond to his singing. There's no accounting for taste, I guess."

Korra laughed. "That's so cool, Mako. Hold on one second, I've got Bolin and Opal here and I want to fill them in." She turned to them and repeated everything Mako had just told her. "Okay," she said to Mako once she had finished. "So the representatives helped?"

"Yeah," he said. "Apparently they've really grown to like Genly over this last month. He said he's even been teaching some of them earthbending. They sided with him over Jon Regent with no questions asked. I get the feeling Jon hasn't been too popular around here since that whole Article 8 fiasco."

"Where are Jon and Gan-Lan now?"

"In custody of the Ba Sing Se Police Department, along with most of their henchmen. I guess it doesn't matter how much you pay off the chief of police; if you start a brawl in the courtyard of the Earth Palace, you're definitely going to get arrested. What about Ron and Tom?"

"They're both in custody too, sort of."

"What do you mean, 'sort of'?" asked Mako.

As briefly as possible she relayed the story of Tom's one-eighty degree turn-around, and of his confrontation with his father. "I'll give you all the details another time. Right now, Mako, I'm really sorry, but I need to go see Asami. I'll put Bolin on. Thank you for what you did for me today. In a way, Asami is still alive because of you."

"You don't have to thank me, Korra," replied Mako. "I'm here for you. I've got your back."

Korra handed the phone to Bolin and headed down the hallway. As she walked off, she heard Bolin say: "Bro, you are so awesome! Tell me every single little detail!"

The hospital was dark and quiet. It was creeping up on dawn, but Korra hadn't slept a single wink yet. She'd been too keyed up to sleep on the airship, and she suspected that until she saw Asami and actually physically touched her and assured herself that she was really okay, there would be no rest for her.

Outside the room where Asami was being kept, she paused and took a deep breath. Secretly she was worried that seeing Asami laying there asleep might trigger memories of their ordeal in the spirit world in the same way that she had experienced crippling visions of her past fights after she had been poisoned. But her fear did not overcome her desire to see the woman she loved, so she pushed open the door quietly and entered the room.

There was Asami laying peacefully on the bed, her hair splayed all around her, her face totally relaxed in slumber. Korra approached the side of the bed and looked down at her, drinking in her beauty in the moonlight. Raava's warmth filled her as she looked at Asami, and she realized that although what they had been through had put terror in every cell of her body, it was being held at bay by Raava's promise to Korra that she would protect Asami always.

Korra reached out and placed her palm against Asami's warm cheek, then bent over to place a soft kiss on her lips. When she pulled back, she saw Asami open her eyes and smile sleepily at her, and at that moment, just as she had back in Asami's summer cabin all those weeks ago, Korra felt herself fall in love with Asami all over again.

"You're here," whispered Asami sweetly. "I was waiting for you."

"Were you?" teased Korra. "Because it looked like you were sleeping."

"I was just resting my eyes." Asami scooted over and lifted her blanket in invitation. "But you look exhausted. Lay with me?"

Kicking off her shoes, Korra climbed in beside her and pulled Asami to her, breathing her in and taking comfort in her warm, solid body against hers. She wanted to tell Asami how glad she was that she was okay, and how much she loved her, and about how Mako and Genly were alright, and how Lin was going to be okay. But instead, she felt simple peace and calm overtake her, and with a very real, very alive Asami cradled in her arms, she drifted off to sleep.

Bolin and Opal dropped by Asami's room to make sure they were okay. When they saw the two of them sleeping all cuddled up close to each other, Bolin practically melted on the spot with the cuteness. "Look how happy they are!" he said quietly to Opal. "They're even smiling in their sleep and everything!"

"They are so adorable," agreed Opal with a happy sigh.

Moving on to Lin's room, they found its occupant sitting up and staring out the window at the spirit portal in the sky. She was in too much pain to fall asleep. "Korra just got in so we're going to head home, Aunt Lin," Opal said to her.

"Alright," Lin replied. "Good work today, you two."

"You too, Chief," said Bolin.

Chief, thought Lin with a painful chuckle once they had gone. Yeah, I guess I am still the chief of police. She looked back out at the golden spirit portal, reflecting again on the day she had just had, starting with assembling Haku's search party and ending with the moment when Ron Regent had pulled out his pistol and shot her before she'd even thought to react. The spirit world had changed her, just as it changed everyone else who visited it. For better or for worse, there was a second world in Republic City, a world she had almost no knowledge of outside of her experiences today. If she was going to continue to be able to do her job here as chief of police, she was going to need help. By the time the pain had subsided enough for her to doze off, she had formed a plan that she believed would keep everything under control.

In the morning, Korra awoke without opening her eyes. She took a long moment to take in her surroundings with her other senses. It was a testament to their total exhaustion that neither she nor Asami had moved a single inch while they had been sleeping. Eventually she realized that Asami was stroking her face with long, elegant fingers in an attempt to rouse her. Korra opened her eyes and looked in to deep emerald green pools that were filled with love and affection. "Good morning, sleepyhead," said Asami.

"Morning," replied Korra. She brought Asami closer to give her a long kiss. When she finally pulled back, she breathed a sigh of relief. "I feel so much better now."

Asami chuckled and said: "I'm glad."

But Korra's attitude at that moment was anything but lighthearted. She reached out to bring Asami even closer, burying her nose in long, dark hair. "You scared me to death last night, Asami. I don't think I'll ever be able to forget what happened on that cutter." Even just thinking about it now, she felt her heart race with fear.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want it to happen that way, but I just didn't see any other solution," said Asami quietly. She returned the embrace with her entire body, letting one of her legs drape over Korra's.

"All that talk about how I knew it was your fight, and yet I can't accept the possible consequences of having you fight alongside me. Part of me almost wants to ask you never to fight again, but I know that isn't rational."

"Are you asking that of me?" Asami pulled away and propped herself up on one elbow, looking down at Korra with a sad expression. "I think you know what my answer would be."

Korra did know. The answer would certainly be no. Over the course of their friendship, Asami had proven herself a capable and useful member of Team Avatar. There had never been a time when Asami had shied away from a dangerous situation. "No, I'm not asking that of you," Korra said. "I know that what happened in the spirit world is only one fight out of hundreds of fights we've been in together, and that most of the time you come out of these things without a single injury. But that doesn't change the fact that something _could_ happen to you, and that I'd never be able to recover from it if it did."

"I've got news for you, Korra: The feeling is mutual," said Asami. "Just because you're the Avatar doesn't mean I'm not terrified that something could happen to you. In fact in a way it makes me _more_ scared because it's your destiny to take on all the worst really big fights. Even though I know that there is no bender out there who could best you in a fight, I'm still scared for you every single time."

All Korra could do was stare at Asami. She'd never considered that before. It had always seemed so natural for Korra to fight because she was the Avatar, and it had never occurred to her that Asami might wish she wouldn't.

"You've given me plenty of scares like the one I gave you last night," continued Asami. "I had nightmares about what happened with Zaheer's poison for three years, and you weren't even around afterwards to help combat those memories." When she saw guilt come over Korra's face, she added: "I'm not telling you this to make you feel guilty, Korra. I'm only saying that I wouldn't ask you to give up fighting just to comfort me. It's who you are. And I think you know that it's who I am, too."

_It's who she is, and I love who she is_ , thought Korra. The entire time she'd known Asami, she'd trusted her fighting skills. They'd fought side by side for years, and suddenly Korra understood that she _loved_ the fact that Asami was a fighter, and that she was so darn good at, too. Together the two of them were unstoppable, and Korra liked it that way. As she came to this realization she sighed and nodded. "You're right. It wouldn't make sense for either one of us to give up fighting. I guess we'll both just have to accept the possibility that one of us might get hurt, or worse," said Korra.

"Yes, we do. But that doesn't mean we can't promise to be careful. We both just have to remember that our actions will have serious consequences for one another. Our lives aren't just our own any more; we have an obligation to each other now."

"Anything that happens to you happens to me, too," said Korra.

"And vice versa. So it's a promise, okay? We'll both be careful."

They closed the tiny gap between them and sealed the promise with a kiss.

Just then there was a light knock on the door. It was a healer coming to collect Asami for her healing session. "My apologies," said the healer, who had been trying to make herself scarce in the hallway until it seemed like they were ready, "but we're ready for Miss Sato in the healing room."

"It's alright. Let's get this done." Korra stretched and yawned before climbing out of the bed. The healer came forward with a wheelchair, and Korra looked at it and smiled. "Here, let me." She took the handles out of the healer's hands and helped Asami get from the bed in to the chair. "Fair's fair," she said to Asami. "You did it for me, now I'll do it for you."

She sat with Asami and held her hand while the healers worked. Normally she would have done it herself, but she didn't want Asami to think she was being overprotective. Besides, she could feel what they were doing, and it was exactly the same thing she would have done.

Afterwards Korra wheeled Asami over to Beifong's room, making her laugh by going way too fast and swinging dangerously around corners. "Sorry!" she yelled to one healer who spun on his heel as they went by.

Outside Beifong's room they could hear conversation already taking place. Bolin and Opal were sitting with her, and Mako was there too. He rose when he saw them and gave each of them a hug. "When did you get here?" asked Korra.

"Just a couple of minutes ago. Genly's here too; he went to go see Haku. How do you feel?" he asked Asami, kissing her on the cheek.

"A lot better," said Asami. "One more healing session and I should be out of here."

Down the hall, Genly approached Haku's room but stopped just outside of it, steeling himself for what he was about to see. After a moment he heard Haku call: "Come in, Genly."

Genly entered the room and looked at his brother. All things considered, it could have been a lot worse. Yes, Haku's hair was all blue, and his eyes were yellow, and he had big dog ears and fangs, but still. It could have been a lot worse. "You can sense me coming even though your feet aren't on the ground?" Genly asked, coming to sit beside his brother's bed.

"No," said Haku, and he flicked his ears. "I heard you. With these ears I don't even need to seismic sense any more. Pretty ironic, huh?"

"It never hurts to gain a new skill or two." Genly paused for a moment, looking at him sadly. "What will you do now, Haku?" he asked.

Sighing, Haku shrugged. He knew that Genly was asking about his political career, which had certainly ended the moment he fused with the fox spirit. "It doesn't matter," he answered. "Since everything that happened in the spirit world, I've been thinking about why it had to be this way. I've come to realize that it doesn't matter what happens to me from this point on. My most important work has been finished."

"But Haku, you're so young!" argued Genly passionately. "And you're so brilliant! Don't say that. I know you are still destined for greater things than what you did for the spirit world this past week. Don't think of this as the end; think of it as the beginning of your new life. You have always been close with the spirits. Maybe it was meant to be this way because the spirits knew you were special enough to take on this appearance. Maybe they have their own plan for you. You can't let yourself get down about this."

Since they had been young, Genly had always been the better speaker of the two of them. It's why Haku had taken a backseat that day over a month ago when they had sat with the Avatar in city hall. Genly had described his vision for the Earth Republic in words which had not only convinced Korra to come, but, as he later learned, had given her a vision from one of her past lives.

Now he felt Genly's words stir a hesitant hope within him. And as he felt his heart lift, the blue fox spirit came in to his hospital room. It walked right through the door and sat regally near the foot of his bed. Genly didn't comment on it, but he gave it a grateful nod; he understood that this must be the spirit who had saved Haku's life. Its presence lightened Haku's mood considerably.

"You may be right, Genly," he said. "Maybe that is why the spirits did not defend the Tree of Time on their own behalf. Maybe they wanted us humans to help because they were embracing the new world order brought on by the opening of the spirit portals.

"And that's the same reason why Chief Beifong didn't want Korra's help to find me in the spirit world," continued Haku. "She wanted to learn to tackle these tasks. This is our fate now. We all must learn not just to coincide with one another, but to _rely_ on one another. The humans and the spirits must become as one. We must trust and help one another."

Just then, Korra appeared in his doorway. She glanced at the blue fox, then at Haku. It was the first time she had seen him since the fusion. True to her compassionate nature, she took it in stride and moved forward to hug him warmly. "Hello, Haku," she said. "How are you?"

"I'm just fine, Korra. I heard from Bolin and Opal about what you and Asami did for the spirit world. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you."

"Don't thank me," replied Korra. "Thank Asami. She's the crazy lady who blew up a giant tree-cutting machine."

Haku chuckled at that. "I will thank her, as well."

"Here's your chance," said Korra. "Beifong wants to see all of us in her room."

There in the hospital that day, Lin Beifong shared with the rest of Team Avatar her idea for the future of Republic City. Afterwards, everyone was silent for a long moment.

Then Asami looked at Korra and said: "What do you think?"

Korra remembered fighting with Jon Regent outside the university in Ba Sing Se. He had said: _You're powerless, Avatar. Your time on this earth has ended._ Jon Regent may have been scum, but he had been _smart_ scum. As much as Korra wanted to believe that there weren't any more people out there who would be willing to cause chaos for their own personal gain, she knew deep down that it just wasn't true. Balance was an ongoing fight, and one that had only become more complex since she had left the portals to the spirit world open. There were bound to be other people out there who would look around and see what Ron Regent, Jon Regent, and Lau Gan-Lan had seen: Two worlds too complicated for the Avatar alone to protect.

"I like it," she said finally. "I think we have been moving towards a solution like this ever since Harmonic Convergence. I know it goes against everything that's been done for the last ten thousand years, but things have changed since Wan. It's like Haku said that day back in Ba Sing Se; in a way, I am the first Avatar again. It's time for us to think about what that means for our two worlds. Humans and spirits have never been closer, so there's hardly even any need for a bridge between us anymore. Lin, I think your plan goes along perfectly with that. I think we should pursue it as soon as possible. But only if Haku is okay with it."

Haku nodded at her. "I agree with Korra. It goes along with something Genly and I were discussing just before we came here. The spirits understand that we have to live side-by-side; that's why they entrusted us with the safety of the Tree of Time. Korra, I think you're right that we all must work as one to keep both worlds balanced. I think it's a wonderful idea," said Haku. "Thank you, Chief. You have given me back my future."

"And you mine," replied Lin. "I doubt I could continue to serve as police chief without your council. Genly, I'm guessing you will probably want to stay in Ba Sing Se, right?" When Genly confirmed that, she said: "I figured as much. If you ever change your mind, you're always welcome."

"Thank you, Chief," said Genly.

Lin turned to Mako next. "What do you think, Mako? Will you join?"

Looking truly regretful, Mako said: "No, Chief, I don't think I will. Being in Ba Sing Se has been really great for me. Every day I'm realizing more and more that it's my destiny to be there, more than it is for me to be a part of what's happening here in Republic City."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Lin, and she meant it. This would mean the permanent end of their working relationship, although they would always have the Avatar in common. She moved on to Opal and Bolin. "And you two. Are you in?"

"Not me, Aunt Lin," said Opal sadly. "I'm a part of the Air Nation now, and I'm needed there. But you'll always have the Air Nation's support, I'm sure of it."

"Well I'm in, Chief," stated Bolin definitively. He recognized this as his opportunity to finally be a part of something bigger. "I may not be as good as my brother Mako here, but…"

"Nonsense," interrupted Lin. "I'm happy to have you aboard, Bolin."

Just as his older brother had done over a month earlier in city hall, Bolin puffed up with pride. Hearing a compliment from Chief Lin Beifong was a once in a lifetime event.

"But all of this is your call, Asami," said Lin. "We can't do it without you."

Asami thought about everything that had happened to her and to Republic City since meeting Korra over four years ago. Being involved with Team Avatar had introduced her to parts of life that she could never have even imagined before. With Sen Inc and Cah-Bage Corp effectively disintegrated, Future Industries was once again poised to become the fore-runner in infrastructure-building and her own personal wealth was one again assured. There was nothing stopping her from rebuilding Republic City in a way that was balanced between the humans and the spirits, and she felt every confidence that with the spirits' help and guidance, she would be able to do so. The spirits were now a deeply ingrained part of her life, and it seemed strange to think that there had ever been a time when she didn't feel any particular connection to them.

But most of all, she now had Korra. Korra, who had taught her about the spirits, about compassion, and about balance. Korra, who would be by her side and love her always. Korra, who gave her two worlds and asked for absolutely nothing in return. Korra, who had connected her to Raava in a gift that was hers to keep for as long as she lived. She looked at Korra, who smiled at her in the way that brought the memory of Raava's light so close to the surface.

Feeling Raava's warmth now just as strongly as she had in the Tree of Time and in Korra's room in Ba Sing Se, Asami smiled back and said: "Let's do it."

In a few days, once all the pertinent parties had returned from Ba Sing Se and agreed to the plan, Korra called a special press conference on the steps of Republic City's city hall. She stood behind the podium and addressed the media. Behind her stood Asami Sato, Lin Beifong, Haku Ai, President Raiko, Bolin, Jinora and Tenzin.

"People and spirits of Republic City," began Korra. "I know that these last few years have been a challenge for all of you, and the recent addition of a spirit portal here in Republic City hasn't exactly made things easier.

"Recently, my friends and I discovered that Sen Incorporated and Cah-Bage Corporation have been making their popular new cars, the Sports Utility Mobiles, out of spirit world material," continued Korra, and she paused as there was gasping and rustling in the crowd. "These cars are more popular in Ba Sing Se than they are here in Republic City, but there are thousands of them on the streets of Ba Sing Se. If Asami Sato hadn't taken a select group of people in to the spirit world to stop him, Ron Regent, CEO of Sen Inc, would have destroyed the Tree of Time, a living organism in the spirit world that has existed since the beginning of time. It is the most sacred place in the spirit world, and Ron Regent was going to cut it down for his own monetary gain." There were more murmurs from the crowd, and Korra raised her hand to silence them. "Now, rest assured, Miss Sato and her friends _did_ stop Ron Regent, and all of his cronies. He, his two sons, and Lau Gan-Lan are in custody of law enforcement. There will be no more SUMs produced either here or in Ba Sing Se. We will not force you to do so, but Asami Sato and her company Future Industries is offering a free-of-charge trade of any SUM for a top-of-the-line, all-inclusive satomobile. If you wish to trade your SUM in, which we hope you will, all you have to do is get in contact with Future Industries and it will be taken care of.

"But I didn't bring you all here to tell you specifically about what these two companies did. The fact of the matter is that any one of you could have done the same. Humans can now enter the spirit world, which means humans can now take spirit world material out of the spirit world if they so please. There is no legal precedent against this. But it's time for us to start thinking about creating some rules regarding proper use of the spirit world.

"I won't hide the fact that Asami Sato is my partner, and partially she did what she did out of loyalty to me. But she also did what she did with the Avatar's blessing because I trust her understanding of balance. There are two worlds now. There are two worlds that need balancing and only one Avatar. I am the ultimate authority on balance because that is what the Avatar _is_ , but it doesn't mean I have to be the only one who works to maintain balance. Almost every Avatar has a team, and these people up here on these steps with me are a part of my team.

"So today we are here to announce a new branch of the Republic City Police Department. It will be known as the Balance Task Force. It will be funded for the most part by Future Industries, although Tom Regent has also donated all of his personal assets to the endeavor as well. I know some of you may be wondering if allowing a private company to fund a branch of a public government organization is a conflict of interest, and under normal circumstances I would say that you'd be right. But Asami Sato has time and again proven her dedication to the greater purpose of balance. She has been a key figure in keeping this city balanced between the humans and the spirits for years now. I trust her; you all should, too.

"The head of the Balance Task Force will be spiritual expert Haku Ai, and his assistant will be the granddaughter of Avatar Aang, Jinora. They both will still answer to Chief Lin Beifong, who has also proven herself to be an important part of Team Avatar many times in the past. Joining the task force will my longtime friend Bolin, as well as five of Republic City's police officers, to be picked from a pool of candidates and selected based on their spiritual aptitude. Tenzin, head of the Air Nation on Air Temple Island, has agreed to offer whatever support the BTF may need. And I, the Avatar, will be their official council. Anything they do will only be done with my support.

"As for what the BTF will actually do, well, that remains to be seen. What we do know is this: Any matters having to do with the spirit world will now come through them. Their first job will be to clean up the mess left behind by Sen Inc and Cah-Bage Corp at the Tree of Time. They will also be responsible for keeping tabs on the comings and goings of humans in the spirit world. This doesn't mean you aren't allowed to go to the spirit world. Let me repeat that, you _may_ go to the spirit world if you so desire. But before you do, you have to check in with the BTF. Their offices will be located on the top floor of the RCPD headquarters.

"The BTF's responsibility is to protect not just our world, but the spirit world as well. And they will do it even when I cannot be here to do it. This incident with Sen Inc and Cah-Bage Corp has opened our eyes to the changes we must now accommodate for by having access the spirit world here in Republic City and in the two poles. What they were doing completely escaped my notice because there is just too much work to be done; I was busy in Ba Sing Se, so these two companies exploited this opportunity. That is why we need the BTF. They will keep an eye on Republic City while I am doing other things. In a way, the time of the Avatar has ended. From this moment on, _everyone_ is responsible for the fate of our two worlds. I'm still here to help, but I can no longer do this job alone. The humans and the spirits must learn to live together in peace.

"I know things have changed a lot here in the last few years," concluded Korra. "But I also know that we can do this. Together we can create a balanced world, and we can work together to _keep_ it that way."

There was a huge, loud and long round of applause from the crowd. Here and there among the reporters, glowing spirits cheered and clapped, too. Everyone seemed to be excited about the idea, grateful for a solution to the many problems that had arisen in Republic City over the last three years after Harmonic Convergence.

"Now, I will take questions," said Korra once it died down.

For a second she didn't think there would be any, but then one reporter in the center of the crowd raised his hand. "This question is for Miss Sato," said the reporter.

Korra stepped aside so that Asami could stand in front of the microphone. "Go ahead," she said kindly.

"Um, the SUMs only ever came in black. Can I trade mine in for a satomobile that's a different color, or does it also have to be black?"

Smiling broadly at him, Asami replied: "You can have whatever color you like."


	28. Life Goes On

One day six months after Korra had left Republic City for the convention in Ba Sing Se, the phone in Asami's office at Future Industries rang. "Asami Sato," she said when she answered it, still writing on the invoice she was filling out.

"We're done. I'm coming home."

Asami gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth, causing all the spirits sleeping on the rug nearby to look up at her. " _What?_ "

"Didn't you hear me?" teased Korra. "I said we're done, and I'm coming home. The Constitution is ratified, and we've scheduled the first election for one month from now. I'll have to go back to Ba Sing Se for a couple of days for the election, but we're done and I'm coming home."

"When?" asked Asami with audible excitement.

"That depends. Did you still want to live in Tom Regent's old apartment near the portal with me? Because I stopped by the RCPD building and got the key from him and he signed the lease over to me. So if you wanted to live here, then I guess technically I'm already home. But if you wanted to live in your mansion, I'll need a couple of minutes."

Without answering her, Asami hung up the phone and got out of her chair, snatching her jacket off the rack and putting it on as she left her office. Her foreman Lee gave her a puzzled look as she practically ran past him in the hallway. "Everything alright?" he asked.

"Everything's perfect. I'm taking the rest of the day off." She started down the stairs, but had second thoughts and poked her head back out into the hallway. "And I'm taking tomorrow off, too."

She parked her satomobile in the lot behind the building she and Korra had decided they wanted to live in. When Tom Regent had been released from prison and joined the BTF, he had decided to move someplace else that didn't remind him of all the terrible things that he and his family had done. He had offered the place to Asami when he been at Asami's factory trading in his SUM. She had mentioned that she and Korra were looking for an apartment with a good view of the spirit portal, and his penthouse apartment had a balcony that overlooked the entire crater.

Too impatient to wait for the elevator, Asami raced up to the top floor via the stairs, taking them two at a time. The stairwell opened right up to the apartment's front door, and she grasped the knob and threw it open.

She entered the apartment to see Korra standing outside on the balcony with the sliding glass door wide open. When she heard the front door she turned from her contemplation of the spirit portal and grinned at Asami. "Welcome home," she said.

"You too." Asami crossed the distance between them in four strides and threw her arms around Korra. "I can't believe it," she said in to Korra's shoulder. "I can't believe you're really here."

"Believe it, baby," said Korra. "And I'm here to stay."

"I've waited such a long time to hear you say that," replied Asami, and she brought their lips together for a kiss.

"I've waited such a long time to say it," murmured Korra, her lips brushing against Asami's as she spoke.

One kissed turned to two, two turned to three, and soon they were moving towards the couch, working simultaneously on removing each other's clothes while still trying to keep their lips together.

They fell to the couch in a tangled, laughing mess, and for a minute they wrestled playfully for control until Asami managed to pin Korra on to her back and sit astride her waist. When she leaned down to kiss Korra, her hair fell like a curtain all around them. She put her hand on Korra's face, tilting her head to deepen the kiss.

When she pulled back to look in to Korra's blue eyes, she was rewarded with a dazzling smile. Korra placed her hand over Asami's heart and said: "I love you, Asami." And true to the promise Asami had made a few months earlier, she remembered Korra's gift. "Thank you for waiting for me, and for being so patient."

"I would have waited for you my entire life, Korra. In some ways I think I _have_ been waiting for you my entire life. You're my destiny."

"Well you don't have to wait any longer. I'm your girl now."

"You always have been," replied Asami, and then there was no more need for conversation. Instead, they let their bodies and their actions show each other how they felt.

A month later, the Earth Republic elected Genly Ai of Gethen as its very first President. He would go down in history as being the only presidential candidate to win the presidency but lose the popular vote in his own home state. Genly's first official action as President was to have the new Constitution engraved on the walls of the Earth Palace's main assembly chamber. His second was to go before a justice of the peace and take Therem Harth as his legal partner. And his third was to take on Mako as his chief of staff.

The Balance Task Force in Republic City performed many important jobs involving the spirits. They mediated minor disputes between humans and spirits, calmed down a couple of raging dark spirits, performed search and rescue missions in the spirit world, and even officiated a wedding between two particularly eccentric turtle spirits, among other things. Not long after the BTF's creation, several spirits began to hang out at their offices, and the members of the BTF welcomed them as teammates. Soon it became rare to see Haku Ai, the foxlike head of the BTF, without the blue fox who had become his constant companion. Gradually, Republic City was rebuilt. Brick by brick, the humans and the spirits worked together to create a Republic City that was home to _everyone_ within its borders.

A year after his election to the Presidency, Genly Ai formally requested the presence of the Avatar and the play-callers of the BTF in Ba Sing Se. He stood outside in the courtyard watching the airship approach with Mako by his side, just as they had stood side-by-side before the great battle that had taken place here.

The airship landed and its passengers began to get out. Present for the meeting were Korra, Asami, Lin, Bolin, Opal, Jinora, and, of course, Haku and his blue fox friend.

Haku stepped up to embrace his brother. "Genly," he said warmly. "It's been too long."

"It has, Haku. Thank you for coming."

"It's my pleasure. I'll always take any opportunity to see my brother."

"So what's up, Mr. President?" asked Korra, hands on her hips. "Why were you being all mysterious on the phone?"

"Follow me, Avatar Korra, and you shall see," replied Genly.

He led the group to the front of the Earth Palace, and then Korra understood why Genly had sent for them.

Growing along either side of the great stone staircase were spirit vines. They appeared to be creeping upward along the building, wrapping themselves around the massive load-bearing stone pillars that held up the roof.

Korra stepped forward to put her hand on them and closed her eyes. Reaching through them, she could feel the vines growing all through Ba Sing Se, poised to take over the city. When she opened her eyes, Asami was standing next to her. "What do you see?" she asked.

"They're all over the city," Korra told the group. "Some of them have already come through the surface in the lower rings."

"You're right," said Mako. "People have been reporting the vines all over the city, in every direction. They're already beginning to rip up streets and destroy some homes. It's not as sudden and violent as how it happened in Republic City, but it's definitely happening here too."

A sudden gasp made everyone turn and look at Opal. "I just remembered, you said this would happen," she reminded Haku. "The day you went to the spirit world, you said the vines might go to Ba Sing Se, too."

"I had my suspicions, but I didn't know for sure if it would really happen," said Haku modestly.

"Well, predicted or not, it's happening," said Mako.

"So what do you want us to do about it?" asked Lin. "Ba Sing Se isn't within our jurisdiction."

"True," agreed Genly. "But I was hoping that you may be able to mentor our own Balance Task Force here."

"Hmm," said Lin thoughtfully. "Yes, I suppose we could spare the manpower for that now that Tom has his own squadron."

Genly turned to Asami. "And, Miss Sato, I was hoping I might be able to interest you in another infrastructure contract. Ba Sing Se will need to be rebuilt, although perhaps not as drastically as Republic City did."

"Wow," said Asami. "I'm not sure what to say. I'm flattered, Genly, really, but that sounds like a full-time job and Korra and I live in Republic City."

"Now hold on a minute," interrupted Korra. "Can I talk to you in private?"

"Sure," agreed Asami amiably. "Be right back."

Korra led Asami over to the courtyard where Asami had once helped her let off steam when they had been looking for airbenders. It was hard for her to believe that day had been more than four years ago. In some ways it seemed as though the time had just flown by, bent away like distance in the spirit world.

"Asami, I think you should take this contract," said Korra, reaching out to take Asami's hand. "There isn't anything keeping you in Republic City any more. The reconstruction is nearly complete, and the BTF is like a well-oiled machine."

"Maybe, but I don't think I could handle being separated from you again," admitted Asami.

"What?" laughed Korra. "Who said anything about separating? Obviously I'll come with you. Look, the only reason we were separated before was because we both had our own destinies to fulfill in two different places. I didn't ask you to come with me to the Earth Republic because I knew you really wanted to be in Republic City, just like I really wanted to be in Ba Sing Se. But now we've got nothing big going on except our relationship, and we can do that anywhere."

"What about Tenzin and his family? And Bolin and Opal?"

Korra shrugged. "I won't lie and say I wouldn't miss them, but as long as you and I are together then that's all I need. Besides, this contract isn't like the convention. We'll have plenty of free time to go back and visit."

The more Asami thought about it, the more she liked this idea. Ba Sing Se really was a great city, and she knew Korra would appreciate seeing the results of all her hard work at the constitutional convention firsthand. "So, say we decide to move here so I could take this contract. I know what I would be working on every day, but what would you do here?"

"Just what Genly said—I'll mentor the new BTF. Plus I can be around to help if the Earth Republic needs anything else. They're still so new, there are bound to be disputes we didn't anticipate at the convention." Korra reached out and brushed back a stray hair on Asami's forehead. "Asami, you are the perfect person to do this job for Ba Sing Se. Just because there's no battle going on doesn't mean we should stop having adventures together. Moving to Ba Sing Se could be really fun. Mako is here, and the university is here. Maybe I'll even be able to take some classes.

"And most of all, the spirits are here," continued Korra. "Maybe it's meant to be this way. Maybe the spirits aren't just supposed to follow you, but you're supposed to follow them as well. I have a good feeling about this, Asami. I'm telling you, it's perfect."

Korra watched as Asami's expression changed from doubt, to trepidation, to interest, and finally to a hopeful, excited smile. She could practically see the city of Ba Sing Se being rebuilt in Asami's mind; it was just the sort of challenge she loved sinking her teeth in to. It made Korra happy to see that spark of innovation behind Asami's eyes. Future Industries was as much a part of Asami as her fighting skills were, and even though Asami claimed she'd be fine with losing her company, Korra knew that there were few things in the world that she enjoyed more than her work. "There she is," said Korra as she returned Asami's smile. "There's my girl."

"Here I am," replied Asami. "How did you know that I wanted this before even I knew I wanted this?"

"Does it really surprise you, even after all this time? I get you, Asami."

"Yes, Korra, you really do." Asami stepped forward in to Korra's arms, and the two of them hugged for a timeless moment in that courtyard, bathed in the warm sunlight and a different kind of warmth that came from within.

When they rejoined the group, Asami smiled happily at her friends and said: "Well, it looks like Korra and I are moving to Ba Sing Se."

Everyone burst in to a variety of responses. Bolin made an unhappy noise, but Mako grinned at them. "That's great!" he said. "It'll be so nice having the two of you here."

"I'm pleased to hear you say that, Miss Sato," said Genly. "I know that Ba Sing Se will be in good hands with you."

"You can't leave Republic City," complained Bolin. "I'd miss you too much!"

"When do you think you'll go?" asked Opal.

"Oh, I don't know," said Korra thoughtfully. She put her hands in her pockets and rocked back and forth on her heels for a moment. "I think it'll have to wait a couple of months."

"Really? Why?" said Asami with surprise—she was eager to get started and had thought they'd plan to move as soon as possible.

"Because I was hoping we could have our wedding ceremony near the spirit portal." Dropping down to one knee, Korra pulled something out of her pocket and took Asami's left hand. Before Asami could register what was happening, Korra had slipped a ring on to her finger. "Asami, you are everything to me. You're my best friend, my lover, and my partner. You keep me grounded and present. I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side. I want all of my adventures to be with you. I want us to take every step of our lives together. With every day we spend together, I'm more and more sure that we were meant to be together. You're my soulmate. Will you marry me, Asami?"

Asami smiled and nodded, her eyes filled with tears. "Yes, of course I will marry you, Korra. That sounds perfect."

As Korra jumped up and scooped her in to her arms, everyone else came forward to hug them and offer congratulations. The spirits who were Asami's frequent companions appeared and became corporeal to hug their two favorite humans in celebration. And inside Korra, she felt Raava glowing with her happy warmth. When she looked in to Asami's green eyes, she knew Asami could feel it too.

Yes, they both thought, it really did sound perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE END


	29. Final Author's Notes

Well, it's finally finished.

I started writing this fic a couple days after the finale aired. I always loved _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ and I've watched it probably 4 or 5 times in its entirety, but I have to admit I didn't love _The Legend of Korra_ right off the bat. I stopped watching it after the Book One finale. I'd always intended to watch the rest at some point but I'm not a very big TV watcher so I just didn't get around to it.

That being said, I _did_ keep /r/thelastairbender on my front page of Reddit and I kind of casually kept up with the show without actually keeping up with it. Spoilers have never been a big problem for me—in fact I often actively seek them out. So when my front page exploded that this crack ship korrasami had become canon, you bet your ass I watched that last scene on youtube without having seen anything else since Book One. After that, I binged the entire show in like 2 days. Then I sat down and started writing this fic. While writing it, I watched the show over and over so that I could get all of the characters' voices right.

Lesbian media has always been a particular interest of mine, as well as government and politics. Those interests are why I suddenly developed an intense fanaticism about LoK. There were three things that I saw in that finale that really grabbed my attention: The first was korrasami. The second was that Wu said he was turning the Earth Kingdom in to a republic with each state having elected leaders, and that Korra said she would help him. And the third was that there was suddenly a freaking spirit portal right in the goddam middle of a totally destroyed Republic City.

I wrote the first three chapters just as kind of fluffy feel-good stuff because that's what I felt like writing and I didn't think I'd end up sharing this fic with anyone. Writing is a fun hobby and I do it all the time but I _never_ share what I write. In addition, I hadn't written a fanfic in years. I mean seriously, it's probably been at least 7 years since I wrote anything other than original fiction. But the _Avatar_ universe spoke to me. It's so detailed and interesting that writing a story in that universe was entertaining and easy.

Eventually I decided I wanted to take Korra to Ba Sing Se. I invented the Ai brothers because I thought I might try and address the issues of wealth and sexual orientation, you know, for funsies. At first I wasn't sure what to do with Haku, but I kept him in there just in case.

Then I came up with the idea of creating some bad guys so that I could create conflict having to do with the fact that it had become ridiculously easy for humans to physically enter the spirit world. From there I decided on cars being the thing because it's something I could link to Asami.

As I wrote the path revealed itself to me step by step. Sometimes I would come up with ideas and be like, "Oh, here's an opportunity to drive the plot forward." Before I knew it I had this big, intricate plot. I had a real story with a beginning, a middle, and an end.

To those of you who felt that the Sen Inc/Cah-Bage Corp plotline was unrealistic: Well, I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on that one. I'm old and I've been involved with politics for a long time. In the real world, I have little doubt that a big company would see the merging of the two worlds as an opportunity to exploit for material gain. Money is a powerful motivator and just like the destruction of beautiful places like the rain forest or the arctic tundra or _any_ place where they're fracking, these people just don't care about what kind of long-term consequences there may be. Even in the Avatar world, Kuvira destroyed the banyan-tree grove and didn't even have a single reservation about it. So I wish I could be optimistic and say that Sen Inc would never go so far as to do something like this, but I just don't see it that way. Sorry.

Either way, I wrote this story with a plot, a mystery, and some fun fights. And now, it's finished. Let me repeat that: It's finished. I have _never_ finished a story this long before. Never. Not even once. This is literally the first thing I've ever written that I actually finished.

Gotta admit, I'm in mourning. It's been a crazy couple of weeks. This fic has been completely consuming my life ever since that finale. It's been over a month of rushing home from work to write, waking up a little early to write, spending entire days hunched over my keyboard, re-reading what I wrote on my phone during breaks so that I could edit it the minute I got back to my computer. Once I even woke up in the middle of the night with an epiphany about to how to advance the storyline so I got up to jot it down with pen and paper. I'm not kidding; this fic has been _everything_. I spent every possible moment on it. And now I have no freaking idea what I'm going to do with all my free time. I guess I'll just have to go back to reading books like a loser. I'm really going to miss this fic.

So I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the creators of _Avatar_ for giving us such a cool, progressive show. Thanks to everyone who read this fic, and thanks to those of you who've been following along as I posted it. Thanks to my friends and family (especially the ones I blew off so I could write all night), who will never see this because I would never tell them about this fic, not in a million years.

Once again, thanks for reading "Chosen's Chosen." I hope you all enjoyed it.

-AudacityofHuge


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